Airport parking rates increase 

The Commonwealth Ports Authority has adopted multiple cuts and increases which will take effect this coming fiscal year. One of the most recent increases is an increase in the current parking fee at the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport parking lot. 

Last week, CPA board members had an emergency board meeting to discuss the dire need to adopt a new, unpopular, budget for fiscal year 2024. 

During the meeting, four board members voted in favor of increasing the current parking fee of $2 at the Saipan International Airport parking lot. Meanwhile one board member, Antonio Cabrera, abstained from voting. 

The board members who, despite their reluctance, voted to increase the current parking fee were board chair Kimberlyn King-Hinds, vice chair Ramon Tebuteb, and board members Pete Reyes and Thomas Villagomez. 

In an interview with King-Hinds after the emergency board meeting, she clarified that with the new increase, parking at the Saipan International Airport has gone up from $2 per hour to $5. 

However, for parking under 30 minutes, one would be charged $3. 

“The parking fee at the Saipan International Airport is currently $2 per hour. With the recently adopted increase, come fiscal year 2024, individuals parking at the Saipan International Airport will be charged $3 for 30 minutes and $5 per hour,” she said. 

With the increase in parking fees, CPA projects additional earnings of over $20,000. 

Aside from the increase in parking fees, CPA has also adopted a 90% increase in landing fees for both the Saipan airport’s main terminal and the commuter terminals for Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

In addition, the CPA board also adopted a 79% increase in its current terminal rental rate for both the Saipan International Airport’s main terminal and for the commuter terminals for Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

With the newly adopted budget, the CPA terminal rental rates for the Saipan International Airport’s main terminal goes up from $19.49 per square foot to $34.92. Meanwhile, the terminal rental rates for all CNMI commuter terminals is now up from $7.79 to $13.97.

As for landing fees, with the 90% increase, CPA will now be charging international airline carriers $15.25 per thousand pounds of certified maximum gross landing weight of the aircraft; they were previously being charged $8.01. As for CNMI commuter terminals, the 90%-increase would bring landing fees up from $4.81 to $9.15.

Aside from the increase in rates, the CPA board also adopted an eight-hour cut for all CPA employees and suspended its airline incentive program.

All these changes will take effect come fiscal year 2024, which starts on Oct. 1, 2023.