CPA stands pat on U.S.-DOT protest

Despite its decision to resume nonstop flights between Saipan and Osaka, Japan, Continental Micronesia is not likely to persuade the Commonwealth Ports Authority to change its position on the carrier’s application for the renewal of its authority to fly between Sendai/Sapporo and Saipan/Guam.

CPA Board Chair Roman S. Palacios said the ports authority is not backing out on its strong position to encourage Continental Micronesia to deploy more flights between several Japanese cities and the Northern Marianas.

Mr. Palacios explained the primary intention of CPA’s protest against the continued treatment by the carrier of Guam and Saipan as co-terminals in its Sendai-Sapporo flights is to get Continental Micronesia into dispatching nonstop air transport service to the CNMI.

He said that unless Continental Micronesia starts reinstating its nonstop air transport service between Saipan and major cities in Asia, CPA will not soften its stand on pressuring the United States Department of Transportation to act on the CNMI’s clamor for direct international flights.

Mr. Palacios also mentioned the growing support solicited by the ports authority’s protest against Continental Micronesia’s treatment of Guam and Saipan as co-terminals, citing letters from Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio and Insular Affairs Director Danny Aranza.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has thrown his support to the protest filed by the Commonwealth Ports Authority against Continental Micronesia’s continued treatment of Saipan and Guam as co-terminals that has reportedly worked to the disadvantage of the CNMI tourism industry.

In his letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Mr. Tenorio said recent decisions made by Continental Micronesia with regards to its connecting flights created difficulty among travelers going to the Northern Marianas.

The CNMI chief executive said is opposed to Continental Micronesia’s application to continue flying Route 171, unless the carrier institutes direct air service from Sapporo-Sendai in Japan to Saipan within a reasonable period of time.

“Otherwise, we find it difficult to support treating Saipan as co-terminal destination with Guam, given Continental Micronesia’s insistence on having travelers bound for the CNMI transit through its Guam hub,” he said.

Mr. Tenorio said Continental Micronesia has clearly assigned a very low priority to Saipan and prefers to market other non-American destinations such as Bali in Indonesia and Cairns in Australia.

He added that other carriers should be asked to consider servicing the CNMI from Japanese cities presently served by Continental Micronesia if the airline company fails to make a commitment in providing air transport service between Sendai-Sapporo and Saipan.

“What we want Continental Micronesia to do is reinstate the nonstop service between Saipan and other cities in Asia. That is the reason why we filed our position to the U.S. transportation department, Mr. Palacios said.

Mr. Palacios also stressed that the resumption of Continental Micronesia’s direct Osaka-Saipan flights is not an indication that the carrier has matter-of-factly pledged support to the local tourism sector since the service will stretch only for two months.

There was no commitment from the airline company that the direct Saipan-Japan flights will be resumed on a permanent basis, according to the CPA board chairman in a brief interview Friday afternoon.

Continental Micronesia staff vice president for sales and promotions Walter Dias last week announced the airline will fly non-stop from Saipan to Osaka four times a week from February 1, 2000 to March 31, 2000.