I was playing around on wiki, I was bored, and I stumbled upon this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pago_Pago_International_Airport
It is under the part labeled "Today" and pertains to the government of American Samoa asking for WN service.
(I don't know how to quote other websites.)
Is there any truth what-so-ever of this? What are the odds of WN flying to PPG? The article states it would be from HNL.
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WN To Pago Pago?!
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The thoughts and opinions shared under this username are mine and are not influenced by my employer.
The thoughts and opinions shared under this username are mine and are not influenced by my employer.
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
What are the odds...? What is less then zero
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
| Quoting EMBQA (Reply 1): What are the odds...? What is less then zero |
Well, absolute zero, if you're comparing celsius to kelvin
| Quoting TWA772LR (Thread starter): Is there any truth what-so-ever of this? What are the odds of WN flying to PPG? The article states it would be from HNL. |
I see G4 making this happen first before WN. Will WN serve HNL eventually?
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- boeing773er
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RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
In other news WN is set to order 100 B747-8I and open a hub in DFW.
but really, this is highly unlikely. Maybe I would believe this a little more if they flew to HNL, but since they don't and they already have the 737-800 then I am doubting this.
but really, this is highly unlikely. Maybe I would believe this a little more if they flew to HNL, but since they don't and they already have the 737-800 then I am doubting this.
Work Hard, Fly Right.
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
| Quoting EMBQA (Reply 1): What are the odds...? What is less then zero |
Didn't we say that about EWR,ATL and the -800s not too long ago?
| Quoting boeing773ER (Reply 6): Maybe I would believe this a little more if they flew to HNL, but since they don't and they already have the 737-800 then I am doubting this. |
WN's -800s are ETOPS equipped, and may very soon be able to operate on ETOPS flights, IMHO the ETOPS -800s will eventually be used to fly to HNL.From what I can recall, you don't need ETOPS to fly from the US to the Caribbean. IF or when they do fly to HNL, it may very well be possible to fly to other points west..
One thing we can all note IMHO is that the WN today, is much much different from the WN we are all accustomed too.
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
I doubt there is an airport in the United States (and technically America Somoa is part of United States since it is a territory) that hasn't asked WN for service. If I go pave a strip in the middle of the desert and it could handle a 737 I would ask WN for service.
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
WN will be flying to HNL, OGF, etc., by the end of next year.
My post is my ideas and my opinions only, I do not represent the ideas or opinions of anyone else or company.
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
| Quoting TWA772LR (Thread starter): What are the odds of WN flying to PPG? |
About the same as AQ serving Rarotonga in the Cook Islands with a 737-700.
Oh wait -- AQ did serve RAR with 737-700s
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
What the Government of American Samoa, especially the Governor, needs to realize is that the demand for more flights to/from American Samoa is not there. If the demand was there, they would get more than 2x weekly service (3x weekly seasonal) from HA and/or from other carriers. The Governor has had a beef with HA for sometime now. He was able to get AQ to serve PPG by offering subsidies that were not offered to HA. However, AQ couldn't make PPG work even with the subsidies. Fares have also been high for the route, at times twice as much as the similar length HNL-LAX, yet no other carrier has come in to compete on the route.
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
Though nothing is impossible, I would say WN has too many things on its plate for this to even be a side dish, even if it was desired. . .at least for the near term .. .
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
| Quoting TWA772LR (Thread starter): government of American Samoa asking for WN service. |
Heck, you can ask for anything you want. I can ask my boss for a $1,000,000 bonus. I can ask my fiance for...well, let's just leave that one alone. Odds are I won't get either, but all they can do is say no
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
ETOPS ..... Thus no suitable alternate between HNL and PPG unless they use Kirabati as an alternate.
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
| Quoting SXDFC (Reply 7): Didn't we say that about EWR,ATL and the -800s not too long ago? |
Let's be realistic about this, compared to EWR, ATL and etc. Pago Pago isn't anywhere near the US mainland and would require more logistics than service to LAX etc. WN doesn't even serve HNL yet and that would be the only likely gateway, and given that the flight might work once a day at best it's not going to happen. This isn't a major city in the lower 48. Also other air carriers that are better positioned to serve Pago Pago such as Delta, United, etc don't even serve the island, only Hawaiian with 767-300s, Interisland Airways, and Polynesian Airlines.
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- EWRCabincrew
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- GentFromAlaska
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RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
Having flown between HNL-PPG which is about a five hour and fifteen minute flight. As HA already flies HNL-PPG using a a two aisle airframe. You have to remember many Samoans are large individuals. I can't see a single aisle airframe flying the route. On a DC-10 the two 2 x 2 seating against each of the bulkheads in the middle of the aircraft were generally taken by Samoan passengers.
I will say the fine folks in Samoa love to spot. Many gathered at the perimeter of the runway just outside the fence line to watch the HA airframe land; what was twice or three times a week service. I suppose the Samoan version of tailgating. They spotters actually place bets as to what time the wheels will touchdown. After the plane touches down the party moves to the airport parking lot. And it is a party.
I will say the fine folks in Samoa love to spot. Many gathered at the perimeter of the runway just outside the fence line to watch the HA airframe land; what was twice or three times a week service. I suppose the Samoan version of tailgating. They spotters actually place bets as to what time the wheels will touchdown. After the plane touches down the party moves to the airport parking lot. And it is a party.
Man can be taken from Alaska. Alaska can never be taken from the man.
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
| Quoting xdlx (Reply 15): ETOPS ..... Thus no suitable alternate between HNL and PPG unless they use Kirabati as an alternate. |
ETOPS is not the issue. To get to HNL you need 180min ETOPS, with 180min ETOPS they won't have a problem making the trip PPG. And Kirabati is a suitable alternate.
One mile of highway gets you one mile, one mile of runway gets you anywhere.
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
American Samoa is asking anyone for service. They also asked PMUA to stop there on the way to Australia, which clearly was not going to happen. I think they still have only twice weekly flights to HNL and I am sure that it is hurting the economy, which is primarily based on fish canning. PPG is too far away from GUM to be served by PMCO/AirMike. I think it is possible to go to Western Samoa to New Zeland to the USA but it is obviously a long and expensive flight.
The problem is of course that the economy of American Samoa is too small to support even 4x weekly flights. I am sure the Governor wants to get another carrier twice weekly or get HA to add a couple more flights but it does not look like it will happen without large subsidies. Unlike the Pacific trust territories, which are close enough for "island hopper" service winding between HNL and GUM and back, PPG is too isolated and only has HNL.
Obviously the American Samoa government looked at the potential for WN to go to Hawaii and figured they might as well ask. The chances are slim to none but at least American Samoa can present their case.
My father missed his connection from HNL to PPG so he just turned around and went home because he would miss his meeting he was going to if he waited four days for the next flight. I know of meetings in the continental USA where the Samoans had to arrive early and sit around for an extra couple of days after because they had to wait for the flight back.
The problem is of course that the economy of American Samoa is too small to support even 4x weekly flights. I am sure the Governor wants to get another carrier twice weekly or get HA to add a couple more flights but it does not look like it will happen without large subsidies. Unlike the Pacific trust territories, which are close enough for "island hopper" service winding between HNL and GUM and back, PPG is too isolated and only has HNL.
Obviously the American Samoa government looked at the potential for WN to go to Hawaii and figured they might as well ask. The chances are slim to none but at least American Samoa can present their case.
My father missed his connection from HNL to PPG so he just turned around and went home because he would miss his meeting he was going to if he waited four days for the next flight. I know of meetings in the continental USA where the Samoans had to arrive early and sit around for an extra couple of days after because they had to wait for the flight back.
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
We use to camp out next to the 9,000 ft runway Sundays around 5am (no fences then) and wait for the PanAm 707 from HNL, Ploynesian DC3 from Apia, and Air New Zealland Electra (later DC8) land within an hour of each other. Watching the sun rise over Rainmaker was also pretty neat.
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- GentFromAlaska
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RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
| Quoting AADC10 (Reply 19): I think they still have only twice weekly flights to HNL |
According to the HA URL the flight depart HNL on Sunday and Thursday. Arriving back in HNL early Monday and Friday morning
| Quoting AADC10 (Reply 19): which is primarily based on fish canning. |
I believe the Starkist cannery went out of business or was purchased by another seafood processor. I remember bringing cans and cans or Wahoo back to HNL. We ate dinner at a quaint open aired beach cafe/restaurant which as I recall was only open for dinner and was owned by an Australian. It was a few miles beyond the road that looped around the cannery. On my visit I remember seeing a U.S. Coast Guard cutter in port. I suppose PPG is also used by the Navy
PPG
Man can be taken from Alaska. Alaska can never be taken from the man.
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- lemonkitty
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RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
I don't see any reference to the Samoan government asking for Southwest service in the wiki article..Someone must have edited the post and removed this information..
[Edited 2012-08-14 11:24:05]
[Edited 2012-08-14 11:24:05]
I met my wife on Airliners.Net!!!!
RE: WN To Pago Pago?!
| Quoting lemonkitty (Reply 22): I don't see any reference to the Samoan government asking for Southwest service in the wiki article..Someone must have edited the post and removed this information.. |
Going over the edit history for that page, that would be the case. And since the crux of the discussion has now been edited from the entry on Wikipedia, there is no reason to keep the thread open.
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