Domestic terminals witness growth in passenger traffic

Overall passenger traffic in three domestic air transport terminals in the Northern Marianas edged up 12 percent during the period covering October 1999 to May 2000, according to a report obtained from the Commonwealth Ports Authority.

ronically, aircraft landing on Saipan, Tinian and Rota air transport facilities fell 22 percent to 17,570 in the first eight months of Fiscal Year 2000 from 17,592 in the same period last year.

CPA records disclosed deplanement figures grew to 94,028 passengers during the October 1999-May 2000 period from last year’s 83,673. This translates to an additional 10,355 passengers.

In May alone, aircraft landing at the Saipan commuter terminal dropped seven percent to 1,026 from 1,103, while Rota witnessed the entry of fewer aircraft that totaled 856 or a reduction of eight percent from last year’s 934.

Only the West Tinian International Airport experienced growth in aircraft traffic, registered at six percent from 322 last year to 341 in the same month.

Officials attribute this to the increasing number of tourists coming to the Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino, and the management’s increased efforts in promoting the gaming facility on the island both in the CNMI and the international tour market.

Between October 1999 and May 2000, the island of Tinian also experienced a three percent growth in aircraft landing from 2,568 last year to 2,653, while Saipan and Rota domestic airports saw modest drop in aircraft traffic.

In April, enplanement figures also increased 12 percent from 9,690 to 10,874 passengers while landings soared three percent from 1,980 last year to 2,042 flights.

According to a report obtained from CPA, aircraft landings at the Saipan International Airport dropped to 2,116 during the period covering October 1999 and May 2000.

During the same period in FY-1999, international landings totaled 2,619, representing a decline of 503 flights from the FY-2000 level.

However. arrivals at the Saipan International Airport between October 1999 and May 2000 jumped 18 percent to 313,486 passengers from 265,295 passengers during the same period last fiscal year.

The report submitted before members of the CPA Board of Directors also disclosed the number of passengers departing at the island’s lone international air transport facility soared six percent from 325,318 to 344,841 passengers during the period under review.

Its consistent deployment of regular flights to the islands gave Japan Airlines a commanding control of the air transport market, cornering 39 percent of all passengers traveling to the Northern Marianas.

Former market leader Continental Micronesia, which dropped all nonstop international flights to the CNMI last year, grabbed 25 percent of the total market share; Northwest Airlines controlled 22 percent; and Asiana Airlines held 14 percent of passengers.