Pago Wings is gearing up to launch in early November 2023, operating charter flights ahead of it securing a local air services licence and FAA certification to start operating scheduled passenger flights between Pago Pago and Apia Faleolo in nieghbouring Samoa.
The American Samoan startup is under the control of Pacific Air Charters (Honolulu) and a local businessman, Papali’l Laulii Alofa, and will use Pacific's Part 135 certificate to provide ad-hoc charters, initially around the US Pacific territory's Manuʻa Islands. Pacific Air Charters CEO Marshall Ashley says down the track, the airline will look at charter flights to Samoa, Vava’u, Tonga and other islands, and once the necessary FAA certification is secured, start flying scheduled services between American Samoa and Samoa, competing with Talofa Airways (Apia Faleolo) on the route. However, the Samoa Observer reports that Pago Wings/Pacific Air Charters has yet to formally apply for a local air services licence.
Pacific Air Charters ferried in its first Tecnam P2012 to Pago Pago in September. That aircraft, N1202P (msn 56), is one of two acquired by Pacific Air Charters for deployment into American Samoa and, so far, has been conducting familiarisation flights around the Manuʻa Islands. Marshall says eventually, four P2012s will be based in Pago Pago, with one pilot permanently housed there and around 10-12 pilots rotating out of Honolulu.
In May 2023, in addition to buying the two Tecnam P2102s, Pacific Air Charters acquired options for another 23.
