Plan for CNMI-based int’l airline goes pfft!

The cancellation of Marianas Pacific Express LLC’s contract with the CNMI government, which ultimately led to the demise of the fledgling Marianas Southern Airways, has also resulted in the loss of what could have been the first international airline based in the CNMI.

Marianas Pacific Express founder and president Keith Stewart said they are no longer pursuing the venture to launch an international airline. It was originally envisioned to be based on Saipan and fly regular flights to Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.

“We are not pursuing international airline service any longer. MSA’s contract cancellation caused our international airline partner to withdraw their interest in the CNMI,” he said.

The CNMI administration terminated its $8-million contract with Marianas Pacific Express, the operator of startup interisland airline Marianas Southern Airways, last February, saying it doesn’t have the money to pay the contract.

Initially, Marianas Pacific Express was working on launching an international airline based on Saipan. The decision of lone interisland airline Star Marianas Air to lessen its number of flights prompted the previous CNMI administration to persuade Marianas Pacific Express to create an interisland airline first. The original plan for an international airline now appears to have been shelved following the cancellation of MSA’s contract.

Stewart says he is disappointed at not being able to make this happen for the CNMI now.

“Personally, I am extremely disappointed that everything fell apart after three years of hard work. But it’s only time and money. We did have an amazing opportunity to create a path forward for the CNMI—even had flight times and slots scheduled in Australia beginning in July. I don’t know what happened or exactly why it all went this way, but it was a valuable lesson for me. Personally, getting out of the airline business has made my life much simpler, but, as I told a friend today, ‘I lost money, but the people of the CNMI lost so much more.’ I am not resentful or upset. In contrast, I wish the administration the very best and hope they find another way to turn around the economy soon. I love the CNMI and the people here. I just have a heavy heart and am sorry we could not have made this happen,” he said.

MSA vice president William Giles explained that after the cancellation of MSA’s contract, their international airline partners found the venture too risky.

“As of now, we are not doing anything with the international [airline]. After our MSA contract was cancelled, our international partner decided it was too risky to continue without any type of guarantee,” he said.

What could have been the CNMI’s first home-based international airline, Northern Marianas Airways, was officially introduced to members of the public back in October 2022.

The airline had been in the works for three years before it was officially debuted to the public last October with a tour of a Boeing 757-200 aircraft, the same type of aircraft that would’ve been used as the airlines’ daily driver once it had officially launched flights.

The Boeing 757-200 aircraft had 16 business class seats, 36 premium economy seats and 129 economy seats.

The airline had initially planned on launching its first flight in the second quarter of this year.