Key airport information may also be found at:
https://www.airportdata.com/search-data/search/samoa
The primary legislation governing civil aviation in Samoa is the Civil Aviation Act 1998 with the Civil Aviation Rules and Regulations 2000 as the secondary legislations.
The Ministry of Transport (MOT) is designated under the Act as the Civil Aviation Authority for Samoa, a role now with the Ministry of Works, Transport & Infrastructure (MWTI).
The Civil Aviation Division of the MWTI is tasked with enforcing the 1998 Civil Aviation Act, Civil Aviation Rules (CARs) & Regulations 2000 and advising the CEO on civil aviation policies to ensure Samoa complies with its obligations under ratified International Conventions, Treaties and Agreements.
National Airlines
Samoa Airways, formerly Polynesian Airlines, is the flag carrier of Samoa.
Samoa Airways is wholly owned by the government of Samoa and is based in the capital city of Apia, with its headquarters located in the Samoa Methodist Church Building on Beach Road and its primary hub at Faleolo International Airport. The airline presently operates short-haul flights within Samoa and American Samoa; however, it no longer serves long-haul flights to Australia and New Zealand after the company stopped its jet operations in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Samoa Airways fleet comprises the following aircraft as of August 2021:
Samoa Airways fleet
|
Aircraft |
In |
Orders |
Passengers |
Notes |
||
|
C |
Y |
Total |
||||
|
3 |
1 |
— |
19 |
19 |
|
|
|
Total |
3 |
1 |
|
|||
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoa_Airways )
For more information on government agency and airport company contact information, please see the following links: 4.1 Government Contact List and 4.5 Airport Companies Contact List Procedures for Foreign Registered Aircraft
“Civil Aviation Act 1998; Part 2 Entry into the Civil Aviation System
23. Requirement to register aircraft;;…… a person lawfully entitled to the possession of an aircraft for a period of 28 days or longer of an aircraft which flies to, from, within, or over Samoa territory shall register that aircraft and hold a valid certificate of registration for that aircraft from:
-
The Minister.
-
The appropriate aeronautical authorities of a contracting state of ICAO or;
-
The appropriate aeronautical authorities of another State that is party to an agreement with the Government of Samoa or the Civil Aviation Authority of Samoa which provides for the acceptance of each other’s registrations.
2. No aircraft shall be registered in or remain registered in Samoa if it is registered in any other country.
3. The Ministry may decline to register any aircraft in accordance with the provisions of Regulations or rules made under this Act.
4. A person in respect of whom a decision is taken under this section may appeal against that decision to a District Court under section 62.
24. Requirement for aviation document – (1) Regulations or rules made under this Act may require that an aviation document shall be required by or in respect of all or any of the following:
(a) Samoa registered aircraft.
(b) aircraft pilots.
(c) flight crew members.
(d) air traffic services personnel.
(e) aviation security services personnel.
(f) aircraft maintenance personnel.
(g) air services;
(h) air traffic services;
(i) aerodromes and aerodrome operators;
(j) navigation installation providers;
(k) aviation training organisations;
(l) aircraft design, manufacture, and maintenance organisations;
(m) aeronautical procedures;
(n) aviation security services;
(o) aviation meteorological services;
(p) aviation communications services;
(q) Aviation Medical Services;
(r) Aviation Personnel Licensing and Examining;
(s) any persons, services, or things within any of the classes specified in paragraphs (a) to (r);
(t) any other persons, aircraft, aeronautical products, aviation related services, facilities, and equipment operated in support of the civil aviation system, or classes of such persons, aircraft, aeronautical products, aviation related services, facilities, and equipment operated in support of the civil aviation system, as may, in the interests of safety or security, be prescribed.
2) The requirements, standards, and application procedure for each aviation document, and the maximum period for which each document may be issued, shall be as prescribed.
(3) Subject to any Regulations or rules made under this Act, an aviation document may be issued by the Minister for such specified period and subject to such condition as the Minister considers appropriate in each particular case.
(4) A person in respect of whom a decision is taken under this section may appeal against that decision to a District Court under section 62.
25. Application for aviation document – (1) An application for the grant or renewal of an aviation document shall be made to the Minister in the prescribed form or, if there is no prescribed form, in such form as the Minister may require.
(2) An applicant for an aviation document shall provide his address for service in Samoa including where applicable, telephone and facsimile numbers.
(3) A record of information provided under subsection (2) shall be maintained by the Minister at the Civil Aviation Registry.
(4) The holder of an aviation document shall maintain the currency of the information provided under subsection (2) by promptly notifying the Chief Executive Officer of any changes to the address, telephone number, or facsimile number.
(5) Service of any notification under this Act on a holder of, or applicant for, an aviation document is effective if served on the address last provided by that holder or applicant under this section.
26. Grant or renewal of aviation document – (1) After considering any application for the grant or renewal of an aviation document, the Minister shall, as soon as is practicable, grant the application if the Minister is satisfied that:
(a) all things in respect of which the document is sought meet the relevant prescribed requirements; and
(b) the applicant or any person who is to have or is likely to have control over the exercise of the privileges under the document—
(i) either holds the relevant prescribed qualifications and experience or holds such foreign qualifications as are acceptable to the Minister under subsection (2); and
(ii) is a fit and proper person to have such control or hold the document; and
(iii) meets all other relevant prescribed requirements.
(2) For the purpose of granting or renewing an aviation document, the Minister may, subject to any provisions in the Regulations or rules, accept such foreign qualifications or recognise such foreign certifications as the Minister considers appropriate in each case.
(3) It shall be a condition of a current aviation document that the holder and any person who has or is likely to have control over the exercise of the privileges under this document continue to satisfy the fit and proper person test specified in subsection
(1)(b)(ii). If the Minister decides that he or she is no longer satisfied that the holder is a fit and proper person to hold that document, and notifies the holder in writing accordingly, the holder shall be in breach of that condition.
(4) A person in respect of whom any decision is taken under this section may appeal against that decision to a District Court under section 62. “
