Previous Story
Continental resumes Saipan-Osaka service
|
Posted on Jun 30 2000
Continental Airlines yesterday revealed that it will resume non-stop service between Saipan and Osaka starting February 1, 2001 to March 31, 2001 to accommodate the expected influx of Japanese tourists during that period.
According to Walter Dias, staff vice president of sales and promotion, the airline will fly non-stop from Saipan to Osaka four times a week.
A Boeing 737-800 aircraft will service the route every Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday. Continental flight 975 will leave Saipan at 8:50 a.m. and arrive in Osaka at 11:30 a.m. Departure of Continental flight 976 from Osaka will be at 10:00 a.m. and arrive Saipan at 2:30 p.m.
“We’re excited about increasing service between Saipan and Osaka during the peak Japan travel periods. As the Japan economy has stabilized, the number of outbound Japanese travelers has steadily increased during the past 12 months. We feel there is now sufficient demand to justify additional flights between Saipan and Osaka during the peak travel periods,” Mr. Dias said.
Continental Airlines said it will continue to work closely with the Marianas Visitors Authority to make sure that the additional flights are a success, as well continue promoting the more than 200,000 seats available on the connecting service through Guam. The additional flights will benefit the local consumers and the local economy.
The additional service of Continental is expected to result in the lifting of protest lodged by the CNMI government against the airline involving the treatment of Saipan and Guam as co-terminals in the United States Department of Transportation.
Continental is seeking to renew its five weekly Saipan-Guam-Sapporo flights and daily Saipan-Guam-Sendai air transport service.
Under its existing authority from the Department of Commerce, Continental Micronesia can operate air transport service between Saipan and Guam as co-terminal points and Sendai and Sapporo.
The current arrangement makes it appear that from the point of view of the U.S. and Japan, a service to either Saipan or Guam is a service to both islands.
