Hawaiian Airlines commemorates 40 years of connecting Honolulu and Pago Pago in American Samoa

Hawaiian Airlines commemorated 40 years of service connecting Honolulu and Pago Pago in America Samoa on Thursday. The celebration featured hula and music during a gate side ceremony in Honolulu.

Hawaiian Airlines inaugurated flights to Pago Pago International Airport in American Samoa on Oct. 24, 1984, with DC-8 aircraft, starting its long relationship with the US territory. The route also marked an important milestone in Hawaiian Airlines history by becoming the company’s first regularly scheduled, nonstop transpacific passenger service – preceding its flights between Honolulu and Los Angeles that launched the following year. Hawaiian currently provides two weekly flights between Honolulu (HNL) and Pago Pago (PPG) with widebody Airbus A330 aircraft.

Hawaiian Airlines CEO Joe Sprague joined employees who celebrated the anniversary alongside guests prior to the departure of flight HA465 from Honolulu on Thursday afternoon. Festivities are also planned in Pago Pago, including a community service event.