‘GIAA blocking SMA plan for Guam-Saipan flights’

For about two years now, Star Marianas Airlines has been trying to gain access to the commuter terminal of the Guam International Airport Authority so it could finally provide flights between Guam and the CNMI. The airport agency, however, has hamstrung this effort, says Star Marianas, by putting up one roadblock after another.

A sheaf of documents that Star Marianas made available yesterday details this tussle with GIAA that, according to the airline, violates their rights as holders of an air carrier certificate as well as some Federal Aviation Administration policies.

One issue brought up repeatedly in letters to GIAA is United Airlines’ use of the airport’s commuter terminal as a human resource department, which until today has been barred from Star Marianas’ use. United Airlines’ affiliate, Cape Air, provides the sole flight service between Guam and the CNMI.

Robert Christian, Star Marianas chairman and director of flight operations, pointed out that this is a violation of FAA Grant Assurance 29, which essentially prohibits an airport from making changes to FAA-approved airport layout plan.

Using the criteria of FAA order 5190.6B, which according to Christian differentiates between aeronautical and non-aeronautical property, GIAA is violating FAA policy.

“Aeronautical property has to be used for aeronautical purposes. It’s not optional,” Christian said

Letters to GIAA call this issue “obviously problematic” as an HR department does not require airside access and the use of the terminal in this manner prevents aeronautical activities at GIAA.

The letters also cite other violations of several FAA grant assurances, with a couple being Grant Assurance 22 that requires an airport to be made available for public use “without unjust discrimination to all types of…aeronautical activities” and Grant 23, which essentially requires that no “exclusive rights” would be given indirectly or directly to any corporation in the use of the airport.

“Basically you have Cape Air running an exclusive route between Saipan and Guam, while it’s affiliated partner is squatting in the commuter terminal and blocking us from coming in,” Christian said.

The issues were addressed repeatedly to GIAA, with some letters receiving no response or acknowledgement, according to Christian.

On Aug. 19 this year, Star Marianas met with GIAA, with discussion eventually leading to a request for Star Marianas to submit a proposed schedule of flights.

This was submitted with a proposed launch date for Sept. 15 this year.

However, a letter on Aug. 28 informed Star Marianas that it had been designated an interim location identified as the “Yellow Cargo Building” of the airport.

The letter also stated that Star Marianas would work with Guam Customs on processing and that once GIAA establishes a layout plan they would forward it to Star Marianas for comment.

There has been no layout forwarded to Star Marianas as of yesterday.

In its most recent letter to GIAA, Star Marianas noted that the use of a cargo building would place the airline at “a distinct and obvious disadvantage” compared to United/Cape Air.

“[Star Marianas’] customers are relegated to using a facility designed for cargo,” the letter states.

The letter recognized that United Airlines and GIAA have some form of residual-cost financing in place to fund the Guam airport, but claimed the relationship should not outweigh the responsibility to meet the airport’s assurances.

Yesterday, according to Christian, they filed a formal request to the FAA’s regional office in Los Angeles, asking the office to look into the matter.

According to Star Marianas, they are ready to begin services to Guam pending the resolution of these issues.

Calls made to GIAA after office hours were not immediately returned.