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Inbound and outbound passengers on last night’s Hawaiian Air flight got special treatment  as the airline marked the 40th anniversary of Hawaiian Air’s flight service between Honolulu and Pago Pago.  On October 24, 1984 Hawaiian Airlines inaugurated flights from Honolulu to Pago Pago.

Hawaiian Airline’s service between Honolulu and  Pago Pago was the airline’s first regularly scheduled non stop transpacific passenger service, preceding its flights between Honolulu and Los Angeles that launched the following year.

There were festivities at Honolulu International Airport before Flight HA465 departed  for Pago Pago with CEO of Alsaka/Hawaiian Airlines Mr Joe Sprague on board.

Here at Pago Pago International Airport,  Station Manager Rosalind Polu and staff distributed care packages and gave ulas for passengers on the return flight to Honolulu.

Earlier in the evening, Fr Andrew Wilson of the Holy Family Parish in Tafuna offered prayers and dancers from the Teine Lalelei Academy performed a variety of Polynesian numbers.

Fr Andrew thanked the airline  for their service to American Samoa.

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Local Station Manager Rosalind Polu was grateful for the support that Hawaiian Airlines has received from the community.

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CEO Mr Joe Sprague will be welcomed at an ava ceremony hosted by the Office of Samoan Affairs this morning.  He is also scheduled to join local employees in  a clean up at Lions Park tomorrow,  a community event to mark the 40th  year of service to American Samoa.

The airline’s longest serving employee in American Samoa is Theresa Burgos who joined Hawaiian Airlines 38 years ago and is now the local Operations Manager.

 

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