Polynesian Airlines Pilot Captain Michael Wilkins has had an emotional week this week.

Yesterday he left Samoa in the company’s Dash 8 to take it to Papua New Guinea where it will be returned to its owners of which the Airline was leasing the plane from.

Captain of the plane since it first arrived in Samoa back in 2004; Captain Wilkins is upset to see it go.

He says the Dash 8 is his preferred model of aircraft over the others that Polynesian is currently operating with.

After returning the aircraft Captain Wilkins will return to work, flying the companies other aircraft the Twin Otter.

On Tuesday the Dash 8 and Captain Wilkins flew for the final time between Samoa and American Samoa and on his last flight of the day a small show was put on for the people of Samoa thanking them for their services to the plane and to say goodbye.

The show included a loop around the Government building with a number of twists and turns much to the delight of the public on the ground below.

Captain Wilkins says he will be flying the Dash 8 from Samoa to Papua New Guinea with stopovers to refuel in Fiji, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, clocking up a total of twelve hours in the air for their final journey together.

From Papua New Guinea, Captain Wilkins and his crew which consists of Co-pilot and Maintenance team will leave the aircraft there and fly back to Samoa.

The plane will receive maintenance in PNG before being flown back to Cairns, Australia.

Chief Executive Officer of Polynesian Airlines, Taua Fatu Tielu said, Polynesian Airlines has sold the aircraft because it is no longer filling up its seats and plans for expansion of the company had fallen through.

The Dash 8 was brought by Polynesian Airlines from Australia in 2004 and began its journey in October of that month.

The Government of Samoa and Polynesian had big expansion plans for the airline company that was suppose to co-inside with the arrival of the new addition.

It was hoped that this 37 seated plane could connect Samoa with other neighbouring Pacific Islands such as Fiji, Tonga and Niue along with other close by countries.

However, deals with Virgin Airlines, Polynesian Blue service fell through and the planned routes did not get put into place.

According to Taua this was suppose to be a joint venture between the Government of Samoa and Virgin Blue and for six months they thought about whether the routes were viable enough to be developed.

It was decided that the routes would not bring in the number of travellers that they would have hoped so it was decided that the Dash 8 would fly from Samoa to American Samoa and back again with some flights flying from American Samoa to Tonga.

Taua mentioned that there were a few flights that fly directly from Samoa to Tonga.

As for the future development of Polynesian Airlines they are hoping to quickly replace the Dash 8 with a Twin Otter which has only 19 seats.

This type of aircraft has been out of production for the last 20 years but is similar to the other plane Polynesian Airlines has operating.

However, it is hoped that both these planes can be replaced by a brand new model of aircraft that Taua is looking at getting from the People’s Republic of China.

The other aircraft has been operating in Samoa for ten years now and Taua says it is really time they start upgrading their aircrafts.

“They have a better appearance,” says Taua.

Plus, they are a lot easier to maintain.

Taua expressed hopes that services of Polynesian Airlines can be developed.

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