Virgin Australia resumed twice-weekly service from Sydney to Apia, Samoa on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. Flights between Brisbane and Apia will restart on March 23rd. Celebrating the restart of service, a Samoan crew operated the first flight from Sydney to Apia.
On Tuesday (March 21, 2023), Virgin Australia announced the restart of flights to Samoa. The carrier will offer two weekly flights from Sydney and Brisbane to Apia, Samoa. In celebration of the resumption of service, the first flight on Tuesday evening was operated by an all-Samoan crew, marking the first time Virgin Australia has offered service to Samoa in three years. The Sydney-Apia route restarted on Tuesday, and the Brisbane-Apia route will resume on Thursday, March 23, 2023. Both routes will be operated with a Boeing 737-800. Virgin Australia has also launched a ‘72hr Samoa sale’ with Economy Lite return fares from $549 (T&Cs apply).
In Tuesday’s announcement, Virgin Australia’s Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, Alistair Hartley, said,
“There is a strong Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) market in Samoa which is why we wanted to mark this occasion with a Samoan crew. It’s an exciting step in the rebuilding of our short-haul international network and comes ahead of our return to Vanuatu later this month. Samoa is well-known for its rich culture and friendly locals and has been a popular destination in the Virgin Australia network since 2005.”
Also commenting on the resumed service, Samoa Tourism Authority’s CEO, Pativaine Petaia-Tevita, added,
“The return of Virgin Australia flights from Australia to Samoa is wonderful news for the nation, boosting collective efforts to rebuild and recover Samoa’s visitor economy. With a diverse flight schedule it means more and more travellers will be able to make their way to us to experience Fa`a-Samoa, our beautiful culture and way of life.”
Guests onboard Tuesday evening’s flight were warmly greeted by the Samoan cabin crew and First Officer and were also treated to a traditional song during the flight, as well as a cultural welcome upon landing in Apia. Virgin Australia guests traveling to/from Samoa can also enjoy seamless connectivity across Virgin Australia’s domestic and short-haul international network via Sydney and Brisbane. Initially, flights from Brisbane and Sydney will depart in the evening, while Sydney-Apia service will move to a daytime departure from March 28, 2023.
Source: Virgin Australia