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Senate president asks Cape Air for mid-week flights to Rota
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Posted on Dec 13 2011
By Haidee V. Eugenio
Reporter
Reporter
Senate President Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota) has asked Cape Air to include mid-week flights to Rota, which has seen drastic drop in flights in recent period and crippling island tourism.
“The frequency of flights and the availability of seats to and from Rota have impaired the island’s tourism economy.Accordingly, I am requesting Cape Air to include mid-week flights to Rota to improve travel to the island and improve its economy,” Manglona said in a Dec. 9 letter to Cape Air/Continental Connection-Micronesia regional director Michael Walsh.
Manglona said many travelers want to visit Rota mid-week but cannot afford to stay longer than two or three days.
As Cape Air’s current Rota flight schedule is limited to Mondays and Fridays, this drastically affects travelers who plan for a short trip but are forced to stay for a longer period of time.
Freedom Air, which also provides service to Rota, also started running fewer flights and smaller aircraft-from 39-seater to seven-seater-to the island in late October. It also temporarily stopped flying to Rota on Mondays and Fridays.
Senate Vice President Jude Hofschneider (R-Tinian) recently met with Cape Air’s Walsh to discuss flights to Rota and Tinian.
Manglona said despite the ailing economy, he’s hopeful that local and foreign visitors will continue to visit Rota and the CNMI.
“I commend Cape Air for its continued business here in the CNMI and look forward to the use of nine-seater aircrafts to provide additional flights to and from the island of Rota,” he said.
