Privately owned and Apia-based Talofa Airways is joining the government-owned Samoa Airways in providing domestic flights in American Samoa.
Photo: Dominic Godfrey / RNZ Pacific
The flights, to and from the Manu'a island group, have been approved by the US Department of Transportation.
Last month Talofa Airways requested an expedited processing of its application, which claimed that an exemption of federal cabotage was in the public interest and would prevent undue hardship to the territory's residents.
Talofa Airways said it planned to start flights next week, after its request for initial 30 day period.
The federal agency said the decision granted the airline's request until 24 November or until five days after a US carrier initiated operations.
Federal Cabotage rules prevent foreign carriers from operating between two US airports.
