Continental cuts last direct flight to Japan

Continental Micronesia is dropping its Nagoya-Saipan service on October 1, 1999, the airline’s last remaining direct flight between Japan and the CNMI, raising fears that it may hinder efforts by the Marianas Visitors Authority to revive the island’s ailing tourism economy.

In 1998, the traffic in the Nagoya-Saipan direct service declined 24 percent and has continuously fell this year, said Wally Dias, staff to the vice president for sales and marketing. From January to July 1999, it dipped 20 percent.

This leaves Japan Airlines and Northwest Airlines as the only remaining carriers that maintain direct service from key cities in Japan to Saipan.

Claiming its decision will not have any effect at all on the CNMI’s tourism industry, Dias explained Continental’s decision to skip Narita-Saipan nonstop service in April 1997 even resulted in the increase of traffic by a minimal one percent.

In expressing disappointment over Continental’s move to reroute all its nonstop service to Guam, MVA Board Chairman Dave M. Sablan said the decision shows how the destination can be manipulated by an airline.

“While we continue to advertise and promote in Japan, Continental takes away all the direct service to our main market. It negates all efforts being made by MVA to increase traffic,” said Sablan.

Since late last year, JAL has been carrying out chartered flights from various cities in Japan to Saipan as well as offered reduced rates by as much as 50 percent on selected occasions as part of its commitment to boost traffic in the CNMI.

Despite the removal of direct service from Japan to the CNMI, Continental still has some 220,000 seats a year to Saipan from Guam, according to Dias. Continental will use a DC10 to service the Nagoya-Guam nonstop daily flights.

“We expect to put as many Japanese on those seats. We are still one of the largest airlines carrying Japanese tourists to Saipan although we don’t have a nonstop service,” he said.

According to Dias, the airline will make sure that there are connecting flights available from the major markets in Japan to Saipan by at least less than an hour. He dismissed claims that the scrapping of the nonstop service would discourage Japanese from visiting Saipan.

“I really don’t think there is an effect at all on the number of passengers going to Saipan because we will continue to bring in passengers there,” said Dias. He added that the airline has not received any complaint from passengers in connection with the extra time they have to wait for a hop service to Saipan.

But the Japan Saipan Travel Association has previously complained the rerouting schedule of Continental, saying it has caused inconvenience to Japanese travelers. Tourists have to wait at least 30 minutes in Guam for a connecting flight to Saipan.