Fe'esago George Fepulea'i Photo: RNZ Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia
The outgoing chair of Samoa Airways says he's confident the national carrier will succeed.
The airline was re-launched in 2017 after starting life as Polynesian Airlines in 1959.
The former chair, Fe'esago George Fepulea'i, resigned last week raising questions about the future of the enterprise.
But the 82-year-old said it was right time for him to step aside.
"This is an opportune time for me to move out because decisions are going to have to be made as to where they go from here. I think it's appropriate now that someone else should come in and give a direction withthe government as to where they go from here. I have no doubts that the airline will succeed. It's already made a big contribution to our country in terms of people coming in, airfares have been reduced."
Fepulea'i said he wais grateful to the government for the trust it put in him to lead the restoration of Samoa's national airline.
As for the future of the airline's new Boeing 737 max 9 aircraft, Fepulea'i said it was for the government to decide.
All Boeing max aircrafts are currently grounded awaiting the outcome of investigations into the Ethiopian airline crash in March.