Air Nauru proposes to serve Rota

Republic of Nauru’s flag carrier is proposing to provide air transport service to the underserved island of Rota through a route that will originate from Australia and Manila, Philippines, a letter from the country’s Transport and Civil Aviation Ministry disclosed.

The proposal came following a visit of Rota Mayor Benjamin Manglona to the island-republic where issues on the possible deployment of Air Nauru flights to the island were raised.

However, Nauru Transport Minister Kinza Clodumar, in a letter to Mr. Manglona, raised some impediments on the country’s current operating permit through Micronesia, as he called for combined efforts to lobby for the granting of rights to launch the service in Rota.

Air Nauru is proposing to serve the island through the Rota-Saipan-Guam-Palau-Manila or Rota-Saipan-Guam-Palau-Australia routes.

“With local support to seek CAB [Civil Aeronautics Board] approval against clearly the opposition of Continental Micronesia and any other present or potential local operators. This may be difficult though not impossible given U.S. moves to a more open skies policy,” said the minister.

The Nauru transport chief also disclosed a team from Air Nauru will be sent to the Northern Marianas in the next months to conduct an in-depth study of the potential for commercial services in Rota-Saipan to Manila and Australia.

At the same time, Air Nauru Chief Executive Officer Owen Coughlan said he is optimistic on the outcome of the proposed meeting between Nauru and the CNMI governments to end travel Bilateral Traffic rights that may allow the carrier to operate to and from Rota without returning to the country.

“That is quite separate to our existing treaty with Guam. This matter is clearly between governments. The question of such rights was included in the recent Palau-Micronesia talks,” Mr. Coughlan said.

But he admitted that extending the carrier’s services to the Northern Marianas would have to depend on the second aircraft introduction since Air Nauru’s current operation has maximum schedule usage.

“Air Nauru has a small operation which is stretched to operate many areas throughout Micronesia and the Pacific,” he said, adding that the carrier is interested to support a code-share agreement with the Northwest Airlink to allow sales and promotion of Rota.

For his part, Mr. Manglona said works should be fast-tracked in terms of getting the approval of Washington D.C., to grant Air Nauru bilateral traffic rights that would allow its entry to the Northern Marianas.

“We will be asking for Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio’s assistance in securing rights for Air Nauru to serve the Northern Marianas. But I’m optimistic. Things are heading in the right direction, things are moving,” he said.