JAL traffic load up 3 percent

The number of passengers ferried by Japan Airlines from several cities in the North Asian country inched up three percent partially because of increased educational trips usually held in November, according to JAL-Saipan Sales Manager Yasuyoshi Kinoshita.

A monthly arrival statistical report prepared by the airline company disclosed that JAL ferried 18,066 passengers from four cities in Japan last month, up from the year ago of the same period’s 17,538 passengers.

“November is usually the best time for educational trips out of Japan and Saipan was among the places visited by high school Japanese students last month. They had a great experience while they were here. We expect to see more school trips here,” Mr. Kinoshita said.

He pointed out that travel agencies in Japan and the Marianas Visitors Authority, along with JAL, are mopping out plans to encourage more educational trips out of the country to the Northern Marianas.

Mr. Kinoshita added that the Japanese high school students who came here last month on an educational tour had fun learning the English language and the local people’s way of life, adding that the tours yielded positive results that may spur more school trips here.

“Aside from its positive effects on the tourism industry, these educational tours are also important in fostering friendship between Japanese and Northern Marianas students,” he told an interview yesterday.

The monthly statistical report on arrivals, which Mr. Kinoshita prepared, also disclosed that more than 600 passengers visited Saipan through four extra flights dispatched by JAL from Nagoya and Fukuoka last month.

During the same period, 11,527 Japanese tourists came to Saipan through JAL’s regular daytime flights from Tokyo, while close to 5,900 travelers from Osaka arrived at the Saipan International Airport.

Mr. Kinoshita said that another factor why JAL’s passenger haul increased last month is the onset of the winter season, the time when outbound trips, especially to tropical destinations, are on high levels.

“The weather in Japan and the activities here on Saipan contributed to the increase. Many Japanese just want to get away from the winter and go to places with tropical climate,” said the airline executive.

In October, the number of visitors ferried by JAL dropped 10 percent primarily because of the controversial travel advisory issued by the Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in September.

Arrivals from Tokyo dropped seven percent in October 2000 to 9,904 from last year of the same month’s 10,656 Saipan-bound travelers who were ferried by the Japanese flag carrier.

At the same time, Saipan-bound JAL passengers from Osaka caved in 12 percent from 5,481 in October 1999 to only 4,823 this year. The number of charter passengers plunged 43 percent from 572 to 326 last month.

Japan Airlines has been consistently flying between major cities in the country and Saipan on a high load factor as it deployed aircraft that are about 85 to 90 percent filled with passengers.

JAL has dispatched three additional flights from two heavily-populated Japanese cities — Kansai and Nagoya — in September, ferrying close to 600 passengers to Saipan.