is a
Virgin Group Airline , which flies between
Samoa ,
Australia and
New Zealand . It is 49% owned by the
Samoa Government, and replaces the down-sized
Polynesian Airlines , which ceased operating international jet services in 2005 and became an inter-island airline flying between Fiji, Samoa, American Samoa, and Tonga.
Virgin Blue signed an agreement with the
Samoa n government to operate a
Joint Venture airline called Polynesian Blue. The announcement came after several months of detailed discussions between the two parties and involved the Samoan government and Virgin Blue joining forces to set up a new company to operate jet routes previously flown by
Polynesian Airlines . The name Polynesian Blue is in keeping with the Virgin Blue family of brands, which also included Christchurch-based airline Pacific Blue. Its first flight was on
October 31 2005 between Apia and
Auckland ,
New Zealand and
Sydney ,
Australia .
Polynesian Blue is 49% owned by the Samoan Government and 49% owned by ASX-listed Virgin Blue (AX: VBA). The remaining 2% is held by an independent Samoan shareholder, the owner/operator of Aggie Grey's Resort and Hotel.
Pacific Blue changed its ICAO code from PBI to PBN, to prevent air traffic controllers confusing the I for a 1 in flight plans. With Polynesian Blue flights operated by Pacific Blue this also applies. The ICAO code PLB (Callsign: Polyblue) is currently reserved for the airline but not in use.
As of May 2007, Polynesian Blue operates scheduled passenger flights to the following destinations:
Polynesian Blue route map
Polynesian Blue flights are operated by
Pacific Blue aircraft. In October 2006, Pacific Blue had one of its aircraft painted in Polynesian Blue livery - the standard Virgin Blue red fuselage, a stylised palm tree on the tail, along with the Virgin Blue aircraft "nose-cone" logo.
