It is no secret that tourism has helped Samoa bounce back from the economic slump created by the pandemic and the industry is helping the nation get stronger.

The question the Government is faced with once again is should they invest into an airplane capable of making international flights.  

The Minister of Finance Lautimuia Uelese Va'ai has said the government is considering the project to bring in an aircraft but it will not be any time soon.

"Further down the line, I think we should have our own aircraft," Lautimuia said. "That is the only way we can have a say or help with the competition between airlines and help reduce the cost of airfares.

"That's a model that has been used by Fiji and if we look at it, our total debt has been reduced to 35 per cent of our GDP compared to Fiji. Fiji's total debt was 90 per cent of their GDP but it has dropped to 80 per cent because of their national airline.

"I guess the difference between us and Fiji was that our airline led us to more debt and was running on debt while Fiji is gaining profit from its airline."

This is a big question because the last time the nation had a national carrier, things did not go down too well. There was mismanagement, poor planning and just overall incompetence that led the nation into a debt situation. This resulted in Samoa Airways returning their 737 aircraft and are now slowly clearing the loan.

The airline business is not easy and Samoa knows from previous experience where they went wrong and if the same attitude and business sense prevails from before, then it would never be successful. Airfares are now sky-rocketing and to travel to New Zealand is a task which requires a lot of money.

How does Samoa stand to benefit if it does get an airline? Will air travel get cheaper and will there be increased flights? Will having an aircraft boost the tourism industry?

Lautimuia said it is his belief that Samoa should learn from Fiji and have the right model and people to run and operate an airline.

"We know it's working for Fiji and we need to consider looking at how it's done and to look at all the factors we need to consider.

"We also need to make sure we do it at the right time and the right aircraft as well as choosing the right routes we can service.

"There are other options we can look at in the time being like having codeshares with other international airlines. However, we also need to be vigilant about the terms and conditions of those agreements.

"But further down the line, having our own aircraft is what we should do as it will greatly contribute to the development of tourism and the country but it's just a matter of timing."

He said there should be extensive research on how to successfully run and operate an airline as well as choosing qualified people to lead the development of the airline.

"Fiji gambled a lot when they started their own airline and if we do it, we need to have the right people to lead the operation and control it. Owning an airline is one thing, but running it at a profit it's another thing and that's the most important thing.

"The government has now taken up the responsibility of paying off the airline's debt from the previous administration but the good thing is that it has reduced and that it can be paid off.

"We also need to note that we are eligible to request and propose another loan for big development projects. But we have to choose the right projects and the right time to do it. And I believe having our own airline is another big project we should consider."

Clearly, the nation is not yet ready for a big investment such as an airline because it will be just a repeat of what happened last time.

Is there a strong will to do what Fiji has done in terms of its airline. It did not happen overnight. It took Fiji more than three decades to come out on top and it did sail through troubled waters. This type of investment needs solid backing and a reverse turn by the next administration on the investment will not help either.

Yes, an airline will create more jobs and help the tourism industry but will the government back it with finances and unwavering commitment when the profits do not show.

This is a serious commitment.