Asiana plans to add 7 flights a week in 2001

The Northern Marianas is beginning to witness the comeback of its second largest tourism market almost three years after they started coming in trickles, as manifested by serious plans of a major Korean carrier to double the frequency of its flight services between Seoul and Saipan next year.

Asiana Airlines Saipan Station Manager Hong Seong Min disclosed the carrier is now considering the deployment of two flights a day in the year 2001 or a total of 14 regular flight schedules per week.

Asiana Airlines’ proposed aircraft deployment schedule for next year is double its current frequency of one flight each day between the Korean capital of Seoul and Saipan.

“In the year 2001, it is very likely that we will be operating two flights a day,” said Mr. Min in a letter to Commonwealth Ports Authority Executive Director Carlos H. Salas.

Between October 1 and December 16, 2000, Asiana Airlines is planning to dispatch additional Airbus 322 flights on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which will bring the carrier’s total weekly session from seven to 10 per week.

Mr. Min also mentioned that Asiana Airlines is also planning to operate additional two flights between Pusan, Korea and Saipan, using Boeing 737 aircraft on Tuesdays and Sundays.

The additional flights originating out of Pusan will bring to five the total number of flights operated by Asiana Airlines from the South Korean province to the Northern Marianas.

Asiana Airlines management is asking CPA’s Mr. Salas for an additional counter at the Saipan International Airport to effectively and efficiently carry out its customer operations.

“We would like to request an additional counter which has been assigned to Mandarin Airlines. As Mandarin has only two flights a week, I believe it would not create any discrepancies to their operation by using only one counter,” Mr. Min said.

In his response, Mr. Salas said the Saipan airport deputy director and manager are now reviewing Asiana Airlines’ request for use of an additional check-in counter space.

“Based on our preliminary discussion with the airlines, we foresee no problems in allocating counter-space time to Asiana Airlines for the time period being requested,” said Mr. Salas.

Asiana Airlines has been very bullish on the potentials of the Northern Marianas in luring Korean tourists as it started looking at expanding flight services to Pusan barely a month after resuming regular flights between Saipan and Seoul.

There is a bright potential to develop honeymooners from Pusan as a viable tourism market for Saipan and other Northern Mariana islands.

Asiana has reported a significant increase in its load factor to destinations that include Guam, Malaysia, Thailand and Saipan. This manifests a turnaround situation since Hawaii and the US mainland previously received better demand from among the carrier’s clientele.

At present, Asiana is flying direct between Seoul and Saipan using 767 aircraft with at least 260 seats dedicated to Saipan. It provides flight services between Saipan and the Korean capital, Seoul seven times a week.

CPA Board of Directors Chair Roman S. Palacios said Asiana Airlines’ plans to deploy additional flights from Korea to Saipan is a welcome news for the CNMI since this signifies a market turnaround for the Commonwealth’s dwindling tourism industry.