Legislature backs advisory council for regional airlines

Legislators threw support yesterday behind the creation of a regional advisory council aimed to bridge various island governments with airlines servicing Micronesia, saying this may be a step in the right direction to deal with growing problems on air transportation in the region.

The Association of Pacific Island Legislatures has agreed in principle to set up the body which was proposed by Continental Micronesia in its meeting on Guam last week, but concrete actions on the proposal are expected to begin in the next few months.

House Majority Floor Leader Ana S. Teregeyo said this council is a “working-type” group that will pursue issues affecting airline service to the region, including cut back on the number of flights from key destinations.

“It may be an avenue that would be a better way to address our problems and concerns, realizing that there wasn’t anything like this in the past,” she explained in an interview. “This may be a step in the right direction.”

APIL, which groups American Samoa, CNMI, Guam, Marshalls, Palau and the Federated States of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap as well as new members Kiribati and Nauru, has been trying to address air transportation issues in the region since last year following Continental’s downsizing.

The proposed council will be composed of representatives from the executive branch of each government in the region, members of the various legislatures and officials of Continental and other airline companies.

House Speaker Diego T. Benavente stressed the need to develop a mechanism in which island leaders can have constant dialogue with executives of Continental as well as other airlines that may come in and serve as regional carrier.

He said that since APIL holds its general assembly only once a year, there should be other fora where Micronesian legislators can voice out their concerns regarding airline service to the region.

“I rose in support of the council in which we may be able to provide this information to the management of Continental as it comes or as issues and problems arise,” Benavente said in a separate interview.

The Speaker credited the Guam-based carrier for pitching the idea to APIL, but said members decided to hold off action on the resolution proposing the council to include other participating airlines.

According to Teregeyo, who was elected APIL secretary at the last assembly meeting whose functions include ensuring that resolutions are acted upon, the chair of the group’s Commerce and Trade Committee, Sen. John Salas from Guam, is expected to travel to other islands to map out the plan.

They are also awaiting completion of a feasibility study being conducted by Air Nauru which has been persistent in its efforts to become a regional carrier as APIL members have been hoping for.

Rep. Manuel A. Tenorio, one of the dozen of CNMI legislators who attended the two-day conference, expressed optimism that the council would eventually improve air service to Micronesia.

“It remains to be seen whether it will be very effective, but at least there will be a forum to address mutual concerns between the government and the airlines,” he said.

Continental, the largest carrier in the region for the last 30 years, has come under fire from CNMI leaders as well as other Micronesian governments since two years ago when it began to cut the number of flights from key Asian cities to the islands.

The airline has blamed the prolonged Asian turmoil to the business decision which has pulled down passenger load to Micronesia, but government leaders maintained the company action has dealt a severe blow to their tourism industry.