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Manglona lobbies for Air Nauru
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Posted on Aug 07 2000
Rota Mayor Benjamin T. Manglona has asked Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio to assist the island-municipality in applying for a bilateral agreement air agreement between the United States and the Republic of Nauru to serve the Northern Marianas.
Republic of Nauru’s carrier is proposing to provide air transport service to Rota through the route that will originate from Australia and Manila, Philippines.
The proposal came following a visit by Mayor Manglona to Nauru where issues on the possible deployment of Air Nauru flights to the islands were raised.
In his letter to the governor, Mayor Manglona emphasized the importance of pursuing the planned air serve as Rota is at a critical stage of economic survival. Air Nauru’s service will depend on the approval by the U.S. Department of Transportation as the carrier’s present landing rights do not permit them to do so.
Rota’s tourism economy has not recovered since Continental Micronesia abandoned its Guam-Rota direct service using a Boeing 727 aircraft after the runway was sealed off in 1991. The pilots flying the route at that time reported excessive tire slide and low braking effectiveness in wet conditions as compared to similar length runways.
Nauru Transport Minister Kinza Clodumar raised some impediments on the country’s current operating permit through Micronesia, as he called for combined efforts to lobby for the granting of rights to launch the service in Rota.
Air Nauru is proposing the serve the island through the Rota-Saipan-Guam-Palau-Manila or Rota-Saipan-Guam-Palau-Australia routes.
Likewise, Air Nauru chief executive officer Owen Coughlan said he is optimistic on the outcome of the proposed meeting between Nauru and the CNMI governments to end travel Bilateral Traffic rights that may allow the carrier to operate to and from Rota without returning to the country.
He also admitted that extending the carrier’s service to the Northern Marianas would have to depend on the second aircraft introduction since Air Nauru’s current operation has maximum schedule usage.
