Direct Saipan-Taiwan flights begin

Local officials hailed Continental Micronesia’s new nonstop service between Saipan and Taipei yesterday, hoping that the flights will bring more Taiwanese tourists to the Northern Marianas.

Continental made its maiden flight from Saipan to Taipei at 6:35pm yesterday. The carrier will be flying the route every Wednesday and Saturday using a next-generation Boeing 737-800, providing Saipan with 189 additional seats on each flight.

In a ribbon-cutting ceremony before the flight departure, CNMI government officials expressed gratefulness to Continental for providing the new service.

Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente said the additional direct flight sends a positive signal for tourism and the travel industry in both overseas and the CNMI.

“As you know, Taipei is a developing market for the CNMI. We hope to see more people from Taipei visiting us and getting to know and appreciate our islands and our people,” Benavente said. “The CNMI government, together with the Marianas Visitors Authority, is ready to provide all necessary support to ensure that this new direct flight from Taipei to Saipan will be a success.”

Benavente also cited government efforts to improve the islands as a tourist destination. He said the new pedestrian mall in Garapan will have its official opening next week and the new Visitors Center in American Memorial Park is due to open next spring.

MVA chair David Sablan, who joined Continental officials in a press conference in Taipei last month, said he was impressed by the airline’s commitment to promote tourism to the Marianas.

Sablan projected that the nonstop service would bring in about 900 additional tourists to Saipan every month. “We hope you continue this route in years to come,” he told Continental officials.

Sablan also seized the opportunity to address Benavente regarding his concerns over the CNMI Legislature’s plan to cut MVA’s budget for fiscal year 2005 to $4 million

“A $4-million budget will never work. I cannot do magic. The Legislature had better take a bigger figure for MVA, considering the increase in arrivals, flights, and passenger demand,” Sablan said.

Commonwealth Ports Authority Carlos Salas said he was excited to be part of the team effort that made the Saipan-Taipei flights happen.

Salas said CPA will continue to provide incentives to airlines, particularly those starting nonstop flights to previously unserved markets. “We’ll continue to figure out ways to make it cost-effective for you to bring passengers over,” he said.

Further, Salas said CPA is working on several improvements to the Saipan International Airport. Some of the projects he mentioned are the roof replacement, enclosure and air-conditioning of the departure terminal, and repair of the 25-year-old runway.

Continental flight 921 will depart Saipan at 6:35pm, with an estimated time of arrival of 8:35pm on Taipei. From Taipei, Continental flight 922 will depart at 10:35pm and arrive on Saipan at 5:15am.