Insufficient seating on HAL's Pago Pago flights (American Samoa)

Samoa News ^ | 8/14/2006 | Fili Sagapolutele

[coconutt2000]

More from the drama that is the days of our lives...

[LeoWindhorse]

the Samoans should go back to voyaging canoes ,rather than depend on HAL. Most of them really need to lose some weight anyway.

[martin_fierro]

You Who

[coconutt2000]

the Samoans should go back to voyaging canoes ,rather than depend on HAL. Most of them really need to lose some weight anyway.

That's an insanely inane comment designed to not win the friendship of people who tend to be over six feet tall, and over 250 lbs.

[dufekin]

Hawaiian should drop the Pago Pago route unceremoniously; the gubernatorial meddling should suffice to discourage future competition, leaving American Samoa entirely dependent on medieval Polynesian style transport.

[AmericaUnited]

Most of them really need to lose some weight anyway

That's an insanely inane comment

Oh really? A true 'friend' would not want them to continue dying at relatively young ages, due to being way over weight.

[LeoWindhorse]

it's s'ok , I don't kiss local okole....

[GeronL]

if they are overcharging then allow another airline to compete already

[Alas Babylon!]

I'm afraid I can't fly you to Pago Pago, Dave.

[coconutt2000]

Hawaiian should drop the Pago Pago route unceremoniously;

That would be unfortunate.

the gubernatorial meddling should suffice to discourage future competition,

The government down there has discouraged competition for three decades. Hawaiian has hung in there. But it should be noted that until the past 6 years, Hawaiian Airlines was not the friendly skies where its Samoan passengers were concerned. Many Samoans do feel a grievance against HAL for past mistreatment, and the governor is playing on those memories for support. He's becoming the most dangerous type of politician - a populist demagogue without ethics or morals.

leaving American Samoa entirely dependent on medieval Polynesian style transport.

Please refrain from making such ignorant comments in the future. What American Samoa needs is for the FBI and DOI to hold the government in American Samoa responsible and accountable to Federal laws. Stopping Hawaiian Airlines flights won't accomplish anything except bolster the Democrat governor's support, and probably result in all the wrong things.

[coconutt2000]

if they are overcharging then allow another airline to compete already

The governor is dealing with shady airline operators, probably planning on setting up his own monopoly after chasing Hawaiian Airlines out.

[coconutt2000]

The entire comment was inane. Not just the part about the weight.

[conservative in nyc]

Hawaiian should drop the Pago Pago route unceremoniously

Since Honolulu-Pago Pago is an Essential Air Service (EAS) route, Hawaiian Airlines (HAL) can't just drop the route unceremoniously. They have to give notice to the U.S. DOT that they would cease service, and a replacement carrier would have to be found. If one was found, they could drop the route. If no replacement carrier were found, the DOT might force them to continue the route even though they want out. HAL picked up the route over twenty years ago when the previous EAS airline went belly up.

I don't think Hawaiian gets any EAS subsidy for flying the route (although I might be wrong). I don't get Governor Togiola's math, though. If Hawaiian was flying two flights a day on a DC-10 with 304 seats, they still were only flying 608 seats per week before the aircraft change. It will be interesting to see the Governor's response to the DOT, if he decides to file one. He's acted pretty irrational in this matter so far - like refusing to meet with HAL to discuss his concerns unless they agree to pay reparations first.

How much of the Samoan disgust for HAL is just typical of Americans' disgust for airlines in general, as opposed to real discrimination? HAL offers better service than many U.S. carriers, believe it or not. The Governor would REALLY be at odds with pre-merger U.S. Airways, Northwest, Delta (especially in the no-waivers, no-favors days) or many other U.S. airlines if they flew the route.

[GeronL]

The shady "governor" is dealing with a business that he wishes to replace with his own cronies.

[coconutt2000]

Please don't dismiss Samoa so easily.

Do not forget that Samoa contributes large numbers of its young adults to military service, and they serve with honor and often distinction.

American Samoa needs help dealing with its corruption problems, and it needs a viable alternative to the Democratic Party which runs the show down there. It is no surprise that LBJ's Great Society and changes in territorial administration and oversight have resulted in rampant corruption and unaccountability. Abandoning Samoa now would be irresponsible and a betrayal of all the sacrifices made by individual Samoans for this country.

[mathurine]

Make everyone pay by the pound. Why should a 400 pound sumo wrestler pay no more than my 20 pound granddaughter for the same flight accomodations?
Or maybe we should pay by fame. The sumo wrestler is more famous than the child, so he (she or it) should ride cheaper. The child has accomplished nothing and should thus pay mightily for wasting airspace!
There are a lot more rate deals than we would like to suppose when we fly and most of them don't apply for most of us, except that we pay for them as the favored ones fly cheaply at our collective expense..

[coconutt2000]

I don't get Governor Togiola's math

Trust me. Math isn't his strongest subject... Not by a long shot.

[ASOC]

Thanks for the post. We face many of the same problem in Ak, high prices, bad service, etc. For example - flight to Seattle from ANC is the same if you fly out of Sitka to Seattle.

Last I flew Alaska Air, I was surprised, they actually took off (almost) on time.

[Experiment 6-2-6]

the Samoans should go back to voyaging canoes ,rather than depend on HAL. Most of them really need to lose some weight anyway.

You know, you really should apologize. There are a number of Samoan Freepers, and that was a thoughtless remark..

[coconutt2000]

Make everyone pay by the pound.

LOL. Oddly enough, that's been suggested for all of the U.S., not just Samoa.