Passengers flying between Honolulu and Pago Pago receive seat assignments at the airport so that airline officials can manage weight distribution throughout the cabin.

They flew from Jakarta to Singapore, then Sydney, on to Fiji and Pago Pago, American Samoa, an exhausting, 12,500-mile trip.

Those who fly from California to Honolulu to Pago Pago International Airport typically are seeking something more rare.