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KRYSTLE MARCELLUS / KMARCELLUS@STARADVERTISER.COM
Dawnie Nua, 3, received a lei as her mother, Hana Nua, watched over as they boarded a Hawaiian Airlines flight Friday to Pago Pago. The airline
celebrated 30 years of serving American Samoa.
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Hawaiian Airlines marked 30 years of serving American Samoa with a celebratory send-off at Honolulu Airport on Friday.
The state’s largest carrier, which began regularly scheduled nonstop service between Honolulu and Pago Pago in October 1984 with a DC-8 aircraft, is the only major carrier serving the U.S. territory.
Hawaiian flies twice weekly between Pago Pago and Honolulu on Mondays and Fridays on a 264-seat Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, contributing nearly 55,000 seats to both Pago Pago and Honolulu travel markets each year. A third weekly flight is added seasonally during summer and winter.
The celebration Friday included live Hawaiian music and the presentation of kukui nut lei to more than 200 guests boarding the flight.
A Samoan speaking crew serviced the flight, including employees who have worked on Hawaiian’s Pago Pago route since its launch.
"We have proudly served American Samoa for three decades, reuniting friends and families, and catering to the travel needs of Pago Pago’s community," Hawaiian President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Dunkerley said. "The consistent and reliable service we have provided over the years demonstrates our strong commitment to American Samoa, and we look forward to continuing to serve this very special region of the South Pacific that has strong cultural ties to our Hawaiian Islands."
In celebration of the 30th anniversary, Hawaiian said more than 500 articles of clothing and household items were collected by company employees and donated to the thrift shop at Hope House, a convalescent home in American Samoa that caters to elderly and disabled patients. Additionally, a group of more than 40 employees from the airline’s Team Kokua volunteer brigade also will be providing carpentry repairs to the convalescent home Nov. 1.