Australian firm to take over Saipan air traffic control

An Australian company has won a multi-million-dollar contract to provide air traffic control services at the airports of Saipan, Guam, and some Hawaiian islands.

Commonwealth Ports Authority executive director Carlos Salas said Airservices Australia will replace Serco, which currently operates Saipan’s air traffic control tower on behalf of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

The five-year contract is expected to commence late this year or early 2005.

“We’re just waiting for FAA to officially notify us about it. We’ll be meeting with FAA very soon to discuss specific details about the new contract,” Salas said.

There are seven personnel currently working at the air traffic control tower at the Saipan airport. All of them, Salas said, used to be employed by CPA, when the ports authority was still operating the tower.

When Serco took over in 1998, FAA and CPA required the company to retain the employees. Salas said the same requirement will likely be made when Airservices starts managing the tower.

All of the seven employees are Commonwealth residents.

According to a report by The Australian, Airservices Australia won the contract against strong competition, which initially included a field of six others.

The Australian said the contract, believed to be worth more than $15 million, is Airservices’ single biggest air traffic control services contract so far.

The contract means it will provide tower air traffic control services at Molkai, Lihue, Kona and Kalaeloa in Hawaii as well as Guam and Saipan.

The facilities will be manned by US citizens or recognized residents but the contract will be managed by US-based Airservices personnel.

The Australian provider is offering services in its three main business areas: air traffic control towers; aviation rescue and fire fighting; and navigation aid installation and maintenance.

“This five-year contract…fits well with our strategy to become a global leader in air navigation and airport service position. We will also be bringing back to Australia learnings gained from operating in the US airspace to directly input into the airspace reform program currently under the auspices of the Minister for Transport and Regional Services, John Anderson,” The Australian quoted Airservices chief executive Bernie Smith as saying.

Smith said the contract demonstrates confidence in Airservices’ professional management of “safety critical services,” The Australia reported.