Mandarin Air reports 80 percent load factor

A new market for the local travel industry has emerged and is slowly off-shooting plunging visitor arrivals into the Northern Marianas, following a report by the Mandarin Airlines that it is deploying aircraft from Taipei with a consistent 80 percent load factor.

Only after about two months since its maiden flight arrived at the Saipan International Airport, Taiwan-based Mandarin Airlines is beginning to carve a niche in the CNMI tourism sector by introducing the islands to Taiwanese travelers.

Mandarin Airlines Senior Vice President H.H. Sun yesterday disclosed the carrier, a subsidiary of China Airlines, is dispatching aircraft that are at least 80 percent filled from the country’s capital of Taipei twice every week.

In an interview, Mr. Sun said the carrier has been receiving a good support system from the Marianas Visitors Authority, as well as other CNMI tour-related organizations and travel industry players, in the promotion of the islands as a prime destination for Taiwanese travelers.

He added company executives are satisfied with the performance of the carrier’s new flight services to Saipan, as he raised hopes that the demand for more airline seats is not going to be a far-fetched possibility.

“Everyone has thrown full support to the project. We are very thankful to the Marianas Visitors Authority and other organizations in the CNMI for the assistance given us. It is really elating,” he told an interview.

Mr. Sun is confident more travelers from Taiwan will find the Northern Marianas as a prime destination especially when promotional efforts are intensified through cooperation from both CNMI and Taiwan organizations and tour agents.

“Most of the passengers who return to Taiwan from Saipan are happy about their trip, especially with the kind of hospitality and accommodation they receive from the people here, as well as the pristine beaches on the islands,” he added.

This early, Mandarin Airlines is already exploring the possibility of dispatching additional flights into Saipan primarily due to the enthusiasm and interest shown by Taiwan travelers into taking a trip in the Northern Marianas.

“So far, we are seeing the beginning stage and we are happy about what we have been witnessing. We will continue to promote Saipan and the CNMI as an alternative destination for Taiwanese,” said Mr. Sun.

He cited the efforts being carried out by the MVA in introducing the islands to the Taiwanese travel market that include its plan to attend the biggest trade show in the country scheduled toward the end of the year, as well as its plan to put up an office in Taipei.

While Taiwanese travelers have a variety of choices when it comes to resort destinations, Mr. Sun said Saipan holds the distinction of still being in touch with nature, of having rich and diverse cultures, and of providing the quality of public safety measures.

The Northern Marianas has great potentials to lure travelers from Taiwan because of the islands’ wide variety of attractions that range from water sports at the Saipan’s blue beaches to the casino gaming activities on Tinian and Rota’s natural landscape.

With the beginning of direct air service between Taipei and Saipan, Commonwealth officials are expecting to get a good share of over five million Taiwanese who take overseas travels once every year.

At least one in every four Taiwanese travel abroad every year although mainland China has remained the most popular destination in recent years. The island-nation, which is home to over 22 million people, has one of the best standards of living in the world.

Mandarin Air uses B737-800 aircraft in all of its charter flights between Taipei and Saipan.
The aircraft can accommodate 158 passengers.
The airline company is confident that it will be able to bring in at least 118 people per flight to the CNMI. It has pledged to deploy 96 flights from Taipei to Saipan on its first year.