Australian carrier gears up for nonstop Saipan flights

Australia-based carrier Micronesian Air is gearing up for its proposed nonstop flights between Sydney and Saipan in four months as it completed securing a new aircraft for the new route, Ports Authority Executive Director Carlos H. Salas disclosed yesterday.

In an interview with reporters, Mr. Salas said he has recently received a telephone call from Micronesian Air president Rex Banks informing him that the aircraft for the Sydney-Saipan route has already been secured by the carrier.

Mr. Salas said Micronesian Air is now in the process of preparing a financing strategy in order to appropriately fund the proposed route between the Australian city and the Northern Marianas which is projected to be carried out in three to four months.

He added that the airline company is planning to carry out a 50 percent passenger and 50 percent cargo air transport service from Australia to Saipan, on an average of two to three flights per week.

“We are on the same time zone with Australia so it’s really a welcome development. It only takes seven hours to fly from Sydney to Saipan even when Australia is about as far as Hawaii from the CNMI,” Mr. Salas said.

He pointed out that major businesses on the island import consumer items from Down Under including milk, beer, liquor and other food and beverage products, which make the proposed air transport service from Sydney a very promising route.

The airline company has started concrete efforts to secure a permit from the United States Department of Transportation that will allow the carrier to deploy direct flights between Sydney and Saipan.

Board Chair Roman S. Palacios said Micronesian Air has been in constant communication with the Ports Authority since earlier this year, when the airline company expressed intentions to fly between Sydney and Saipan.

Mr. Palacios said Micronesian Air is planning to launch direct cargo service between Saipan and Australia, adding that Mr. Banks has informed CPA that the carrier just recently acquired two 727-200 aircraft.

“CPA fully supports direct flight from Australia to Saipan,” Mr. Palacios said in a letter to Mr. Banks. “We wish you success in implementing your business plan for such services.”

The carrier’s proposal to fly direct to Saipan came as a welcome news to the CNMI government, which even created the Aviation Task Force to specifically lure foreign carriers into providing air transport services between the Northern Marianas and other destinations.

Micronesian Air is planning to utilize 727 aircraft to carry cargo and passengers between the country and the CNMI in its proposed flight services to Saipan from Sydney.

Mr. Palacios said the carrier’s plan to fly between Australia and Saipan will not only mean additional revenue for the ports authority but will also spur visitor arrivals into the CNMI due to the anticipated entry of Australian tourists.