Previous Story
Fewer flights, smaller aircraft to Rota
|
Posted on Nov 07 2011
Freedom Air has not only stopped using 39-seater aircraft and replaced them temporarily with a seven-seater aircraft, but has also been running fewer flights to Rota for at least a week now.
Dennis Cruz, Freedom Air-CNMI station manager, said yesterday that the use of smaller aircraft Navajo will only be “temporary” because of “regular maintenance” work on the bigger Shorts 330 aircraft.
“We expect to resume the use of bigger aircraft in about 10 days,” said Cruz, who’s been with Freedom Air for 23 years, about 13 years of those as station manager.
The aircraft also temporarily stopped flying to Rota on Mondays and Fridays. Cruz said passengers to and from Rota can still travel between the islands using Cape Air on Mondays and Fridays.
Senate President Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota) said he hopes that Freedom Air can get its 39-seater aircraft back in the soonest possible time.
“It’s affecting tourism on Rota and domestic travel. There are lots of transit passengers that are canceling their flights. Even those who are on medical referral and residents on personal travel are affected,” he said.
