Qantas Plans To Introduce Flights To Samoa And Tonga

Following recent modifications to Australia’s air service arrangements with both Pacific Island nations, Qantas has confirmed plans to begin scheduled services to Samoa and Tonga.

Currently, the carrier operates non-scheduled flights to Apia, Samoa, and Tonga’s Nuku’alofa Fua’amoto Airport, and it plans to launch regularly scheduled flights once all relevant approvals are obtained.

Qantas has applied to the International Air Services Commission (IASC) for an allocation of 594 seats per week on the Samoa route and 348 seats per week on the Tonga route for five years.

Qantas stated that the intended capacity would be fully utilised by the end of this year, with plans to run twice weekly Airbus A330 flights between Sydney/Brisbane and Apia and twice weekly Boeing 737 services between Sydney and Tonga.

The IASC is now accepting applications for additional capacity on the routes, with a submission deadline of 14 November 2022.