JAL to add 1,100 seats next month

Despite the travel advisory issued by the Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs listing Saipan as an unsafe destination for its travelers, the country’s flag carrier is dispatching four extra charter flights next month.

Ports Authority Board Chair Roman S. Palacios said the agency has been informed by Japan Airlines that the carrier has scheduled four extra flights originating out of Nagoya and Kansai to Saipan in October.

JAL will be deploying DC-10 aircraft in all of the four charter flights which are expected to provide an additional 1,124 airline seats for Japanese travelers to the Northern Marianas.

The charter services are scheduled to depart Nagoya and Kansai on Oct. 7, 2000, and then again on Oct. 9, 2000, according to a flight schedule submitted by JAL to the ports authority.

JAL has consistently stood firm on its commitment to continuously help facilitate the recovery of the Northern Marianas’ tourism industry from a catastrophic slump by dispatching additional flights whenever the demand calls for it.

In March, the Japanese carrier brought in additional 3,000 travelers to the islands from the 13 extra flights it deployed between major cities in Japan and Saipan. In February, JAL has provided 17 additional flights on top of its daily direct flights between Japan and Saipan.

JAL has been urging the CNMI government to intensify its efforts in building a stronger image for the Northern Marianas to complement visitor industry players’ endeavor to make the islands a prime tour destination.

The airline company believes in the potentials of Saipan being an attractive destination as manifested by JAL’s heavy investment in the island that include a hotel and a shopping complex.

Landing costs in Saipan which is similar to Japan domestic destinations, as well as the short flight time, prompted JAL to invest in Saipan over other overseas areas like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Guam, Palau and the Philippines.

Under JAL’s Super Resort Express promotional program, the CNMI competes with Hawaii, Guam and Oceania for international tourists departing Japan which have ballooned from a little over 5.5 million in 1986 to 10 million in 1990.

Japan may also be a competition since it is intensifying efforts to entice more inbound tourists under the Japanese government’s Welcome Plan 21, a program which aims to double the number of inbound tourists from 3.5 million to seven million in year 2005.

Japan Airlines, in July 1998, increased the seating capacities of all its flights to Saipan from the Kansai Airport by upgrading the present Boeing 767 planes to DC-10.

B767 airplanes can accommodate 216 passengers while DC-10s have 266 available seats.

JAL has direct Japan-Saipan-Japan flights every day, which have been very effective in encouraging more travels among Japanese tourists to the Northern Marianas.

Airline officials said the company is guided by the 3D principle which has been proven to be really very effective in encouraging more tourist movements. The 3Ds stand for Direct, Daily and Daytime operation.