South Pacific Island Airways
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | 1973 |
| Defunct | 1987 |
| Headquarters | American Samoa |
Area served | Pacific region, United States, Canada, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, Tonga, Cook Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands |
| Products | Air transport services |
South Pacific Island Airways (SPIA) provided air services throughout the Pacific region from 1973 until 1987, linking destinations such as American Samoa, Hawaii, the western coast of the United States, Canada, Alaska, New Zealand, Guam, and Tahiti. The airline's primary aircraft were Boeing 707 jets, complemented by smaller de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter turboprop planes utilized for feeder routes.
In 1984, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a grounding order on SPIA after one of its charter flights nearly breached Soviet airspace. After restructuring its leadership, SPIA recommenced flights but faced another suspension in 1985 related to disputes over engine hush kit retrofits on its Boeing 707 fleet. The airline maintained limited operations before ultimately halting all services in 1987.
Former destinations
During its years of operation, SPIA included the following locations in its network:
Canada
- Vancouver, British Columbia – Vancouver International Airport
Fiji
Tahiti
Tonga
- Nuku'alofa – Fua'amotu International Airport
- Lifuka – Lifuka Island Airport (Salote Pilolevu Airport)
- Neiafu – Vavaʻu International Airport (Lupepauʻu Airport)
New Zealand
- Auckland, New Zealand – Auckland International Airport
Cook Islands
Palau
Papua New Guinea
- Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea – Jacksons International Airport
United States
- Anchorage, Alaska – Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
- Honolulu, Hawaii – Honolulu International Airport
American Samoa
- Pago Pago – Pago Pago International Airport
- Ofu-Olosega American Samoa – Ofu Airport
- Tau, American Samoa – Tau Airport
Guam
Northern Mariana Islands
- Rota – Benjamin Taisacan Manglona International Airport
- Saipan – Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport
- Tinian – Tinian International Airport
Fleet
At the height of its operations, South Pacific Island Airways operated the following aircraft:
| Aircraft Model | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander | 1 |
| de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | 3 |
| Boeing 707 | 4 |
Accidents and Incidents
- On July 21, 1984, Flight 513 involving a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter carrying 14 people crashed during its approach to Tau Airport. The accident was caused by failure of the flight controls due to corrosion and breakage of an elevator control cable influenced by the humid and saline environment. The aircraft struck a terminal building and a parked vehicle; one passenger lost their life, while the remaining ten passengers and all three crew members survived.