AOC: Saipan airport ‘looks unprofessional’

Saipan Tribune spots two skinny dogs, possibly strays, roaming in the premises of the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport yesterday afternoon. (FERDIE DE LA TORRE)

Citing issues such as a leaking roof, birds on the runway, and the presence of rats, stray cats, and dogs in the premises, the Airport Operators Committee has three words for the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport: “It looks unprofessional.”

Speaking at the Commonwealth Ports Authority board’s airport facilities committee meeting last Friday, AOC chair Aurelia Alepuyo Kretzers brought up three categories of concerns—operations and maintenance, image, and future planning of the airport.

Kretzers said the Airport Operators Committee wants a more professional image and the convenience of the traveling public and employees at the airport.

The AOC is composed of tenants and stakeholders at the airport such as the Marianas Visitors Authority, Customs and Border Protection, Quarantine, ground handlers, carriers, and others.

Kretzers, representing POI Aviation, which represents eight out of nine carriers at the airport, said they are aware that their concerns would require time and that they are awaiting CPA actions.

Barrie C. Toves, who chairs the CPA board’s airport facilities committee, said the concerns that the AOC raised are the things that CPA is addressing now.

Toves said his committee and the board are actually focused on building a new terminal building, instead of doing patchwork repairs on the existing old building.

He said that CPA is now trying to find a way to realize its goal of building a new terminal and sought the understanding and patience of operators and stakeholders at the airport.

Toves said Kretzers will get answers about CPA’s action plan on the AOC’s concerns at the next CPA board’s airport facilities committee meeting.

The CPA board has started public discussions on CPA’s plan to build a new $300-million terminal to replace or expand the existing Saipan international airport that CPA board chair Kimberlyn King-Hinds has described as “outdated and deteriorating.”

In a separate interview yesterday, Kretzers said that what they need is for CPA to fix some of the issues that are just not acceptable, those issues that CPA should address immediately, such as those that affect safety for passengers, tenants, and workers at the airport.

Kretzers said they understand the extent of damage that Super Typhoon Yutu wrought on the airport in October 2018, but since the facility is open and operating, the concerns need to be addressed.

During Friday’s meeting, Kretzers said in the image category alone, the traveling public arriving on Saipan from other destinations come with the expectation of coming to a “resort destination” but that’s not what meets them at the airport.

“My concern is the appearance of the airport. It’s very unprofessional,” she said in an interview.

As an example, Kretzer cited the area where passengers are standing in line on a ramp to clear the Transportation Security Administration.

“It’s steep. It’s a ramp. It should be normal, like in any other airports,” she said.

She noted that there’s lack of electronic arrival and departure boards at the departure lobby, arrival at Customs area, and at the gate podium.

On operations and maintenance category, she said the building’s roof is leaking. Kretzers cited the TSA area, where passengers are being screened. When it rains, TSA needs to shut down part of the area because it’s leaking directly.

Kretzers said CPA also needs to replace or repair the announcement system as it is an old one and always breaks down.

Kretzers said they know that three passenger loading bridges have been ordered but they want to know when the other three will be ordered.

When the airport’s air-conditioning is down, she said it takes awhile to fix due to lack of available parts. “At least have some parts on standby,” Kretzers said.

She said there is a need to have anti-skid mats on all doors at the arrival and departure gates on the first floor. “If you open the door and it’s raining, that rain goes through the door and it’s very slippery,” she said.

Kretzers said there is a need to install canopies at all doors at arrival/departure.

She said there should be a backup plan for the incinerator as it is out of service at times. Kretzers said the trash from the airplanes have to be incinerated but there are times when the incinerator is out of service.

She said some of the carriers put their trash back in their plane’s belly or keep them in sealed containers and wait for the following day when the incinerator is back and running.

Kretzers also pointed out that the runway rehabilitation has been going on for more than five years. She asked CPA board when this will be completed as this limits the ability of carriers to schedule flights.

She said the runway rehabilitation limits carriers’ operation because the runway is usually closed from 5pm to midnight when work is ongoing.

She said there is a need for landing instruments and Precision Approach Path Indicators, the lights that guide the airplane in landing. The Saipan airport has PAPI lights but “it’s been down for so many years.”

She said animals on the runway—birds, stray cats, rats, and stray dogs—should be controlled. Kretzers said that bird strikes—when birds get sucked into the plane’s engine—is dangerous. She said rats are all over the ground or premises at the airport.

Although some stray dogs and cats are now being controlled, there are still such animals in the premises, she said.

Even something as simple as the location of trash bins is also an issue. Kretzers said the trash bin needs to be moved to other locations. She said a trash bin is located in the restricted area and that it should be transferred to any location where it is not visible to visitors.

Kretzers pointed out that an initial CPA’s master plan for the airport is already available and they hope CPA moves in that direction.