The Government of Samoa is ready to dispose of equity in Samoa Airways (OL, Apia Faleolo) to local investors in a bid to raise the airline's capital, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi said during a parliamentary budget hearing.
"There are investors who have expressed interest to hold shares in Samoa Airways. It is good to bring in the business community so they can support the national carrier as opposed to rendering support to other governments," Sa'ilele said, as quoted by the Samoa Observer.
He further added that most of Samoa Airways' regional rivals are receiving backing from their respective governments.
Despite its commercial and advisory links with Fiji Airways (FJ, Nadi), Samoa Airways is wholly-owned by the Samoan state. Earlier this month, it revealed that it would pay Samoa Airways WST5 million (USD1.8 million) as compensation for the takeover of Apia Fagali'i in December last year. However, this decision is in no way explicitly linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, it said.
Samoa Airways currently operates three DHC-6-300s and is in the process of securing a dry-leased B737-800 for international operations once they resume.
