American Samoa Senate Judicial Cmte hears about round trip tickets, sponsorships and too many Asians
US citizens, whose parents are American Samoans, born in the United States, but require a round trip ticket for travel to American Samoa and concerns over permanent residents sponsoring foreigners were two issues raised during last week’s Senate Judicial Committee hearing with Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale.
US CITIZEN TRAVEL
During the hearing, Sen. Alo Fa’auuga said his son is a US citizen and was heading to America Samoa recently but was told by the airlines that he could not board the flight to Pago Pago because he needed a round trip ticket back to the US. He questioned as to whether such a law exists because he was told it was the Attorney General’s Office in Pago Pago, which set this rule.
Talauega responded that the law has been in place for a very long time and it requires US citizens or citizens of any foreign country entering American Samoa to have a round trip ticket. He shared with senators that his office continues to work with Hawaiian Airlines — the only carrier operating between Pago Pago and Honolulu — on this particular issue.
He says the AG’s Office staff makes themselves available, especially during days that Hawaiian operates into Pago Pago, to respond to passengers who are stuck in Honolulu or the US mainland, and unable to board a flight to the territory due to their travel documents or the need for a round trip ticket.
Read more: http://www.samoanews.com/content/en/senate-judicial-committee-hears-about-round-trip-tickets-sponsorships-and-too-many-asians
