(GOVT. PRESS SECRETARIAT); Cabinet at its meeting FK (21) Special 30 has approved flights for the first three months of 2022, (Jan-March) to repatriate Samoans and transport Seasonal Workers to their respective destinations :
- The schedule flights initially planned from January, February and March from Australia and New Zealand.
- Noted of the assistance offered by the Government of New Zealand through the MBIE, purchasing of a new Commercial Printer, 2 Laptops for two temporary support staff for the printing of visa.
- Fiji Airways charter to bring home scholarship students a-waiting for final exam results and the people from the region moving in Samoa for employment, as planned for the third week of January 2022.
I. FLIGHTS SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY 2022
> 14th-20th- & 25th January 2022 – Qantas charter flight to uplift Seasonal Workers from Samoa to Australia.
> 22nd January 2022 – Air New Zealand repatriation flight from Auckland New Zealand.
> 26th & 29th January 2022 – Charter Air New Zealand flight to uplift RSE workers to New Zealand.
II. FLIGHTS SCHEDULE FOR FEBRUARY 2022
> 2nd & 16th February 2022 – Charter Qantas flight to take Seasonal workers to Australia and to bring home Samoan citizens.
> 5th – 9th-12th -16th- 19th February 2022 – Air New Zealand charter flight to take RSE workers from Samoa to New Zealand.
> 10th February 2022 – Charter flight to uplift Seasonal workers from Samoa to Australia.
> 26th February 2022 – Air New Zealand repatriation flight from Auckland New Zealand.
III. FLIGHTS SCHEDULE FOR MARCH 2022
>2nd & 16th March 2022 – Qantas charter flight to take Seasonal workers from Samoa to Australia.
> 19th March 2022 – Air New Zealand repatriation flight from Auckland New Zealand.
At the same meeting, Cabinet also approved the continuation of the 3 weeks quarantine from January to March 2022, based on the travel advisory from the Ministry of Health.
The National Emergency Operation Centre (N.E.O.C.) has been tasked to coordinate and monitor these flights, while the Ministry of Health continues to lead the COVID-19 border protection, through enforcement of compliance with Samoa’s travel advisory.
