Rebranded Samoan National Carrier Takes Flight

Polynesian Blue has completed its transition to the Virgin Samoa brand, as announced in December last year, after taking delivery of its first repainted and upgraded aircraft at the end of last week. The Boeing 737-800, operated on its behalf by Virgin Australia, was delivered from Auckland, New Zealand to Apia, Samoa on February 25, 2012 and was greeted by representatives of the Government of Samoa and joint venture partner, Virgin Australia.

“Today we take the national airline of Samoa into the future,” said Mark Pitt, Chief Executive Officer, Virgin Samoa. “The new livery will increase the airline’s visibility in the eyes of local Samoans and those living abroad, as Samoa’s national flag carrier. Since announcing the new name in December last year, the response from the Samoan people has been overwhelmingly positive.”

The development of Virgin Samoa’s new livery and interior design elements were guided by renowned brand and identity designer, Hans Hulsbosch, and Virgin Australia’s in-house brand team.

“The new look and feel of Virgin Samoa is consistent with the Virgin Australia brand while underlining the special, uniquely Samoan, cultural elements that make it the people’s airline of Samoa,” said Michael Betteridge, General Manager, Marketing, Virgin Australia. “This is represented on the aircraft through the palm tree design and the ‘Airline of Samoa’ tag line on the fuselage; and a key element of the airline’s new visual language is the tatau designed by Samoan master tattooist, Tulouena Sua Tuifasisina Letelemaa'ana. It features on the aircraft’s engines and on the scarves and ties worn by Virgin Samoa Cabin Crew.”

Initially formed as Polynesian Blue in October 2005, Virgin Samoa is a joint venture between the Government of Samoa (49 per cent), Virgin Australia (49 per cent) and a private Samoan shareholder (two per cent). The airline currently offers links from Faleolo International Airport in the Samoan capital Apia to Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney. It is the sole operator on the two Australian routes but competes directly with Air New Zealand to Auckland. In the past year it carried an estimated 73,000 O&D passengers on its services from Western Samoa.