Samoa Airways at Auckland

Last Tuesday I spent the best part of the day at Auckland Airport [NZAA] while I waited for some people to arrive from overseas. While there of course I took a few photos.

This first one is rather interesting. It's a Samoa Airways branded Boeing 737-86N, but it has an Italian registration for an airline called Neos. What's happening? Well, as I understand it, Samoa Airways is a rebrand of the state owned Polynesian Airlines and this is the first [and I think only] Boeing 737 in their fleet. They have recently started flying from Faleolo International Airport [ICAO code NSFA], near Apia in Samoa to Auckland.

The aircraft is leased from Neos and I believe it is operated by the Italian crew, with Samoa Airways cabin crew... not 100% sure of all that, but I'm sure to be corrected if I am wrong!

Anyway, it's an Italian registered jet operating for a Samoan airline to New Zealand. Different!

Boeing 737-86N, I-NEOS, operated by Neos/ Samoa Airways

BTW - it was a hot day, so there's a bit of heat shimmer in this photo and a number of the upcoming posts in this series.