Australian low-fare carrier Virgin Blue has finalised an agreement with the West Samoan government to establish a new airline called Polynesian Blue, which will take over the jet operations of West Samoa’s national carrier Polynesian Airlines.
Virgin Blue announced last week that it and the West Samoan government will each own 49% of Polynesian Blue, while an undisclosed “independent Samoan shareholder” will have the remaining 2%. It adds that the joint venture airline will start operations in late October on “jet routes presently flown by Polynesian Airlines”, which plans to retain its turboprop operations and ground-handling business, says Virgin Blue.
Polynesian Airlines has been operating a Boeing 737-800 to cities such as Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand and Honolulu in the USA.
The new airline will also operate the same type which will be flown by Virgin Blue’s international arm, New Zealand-based Pacific Blue, although the pilots and cabin crew will be recruited from Polynesian Airlines. The airline’s turboprop operations remain independent.
Source: Flight International
