Japan-bound planes lead road to recovery

Japan-bound air carriers led CNMI airlines on the road to recovery in 2004, posting the biggest growth in terms of enplanement.

An air carrier activity report issued by the Commonwealth Ports Authority showed that most airlines registered increased enplanement in fiscal year 2004, reflecting the local tourism industry’s recovery from the impact of the Iraq conflict and the SARS outbreak in 2003.

Northwest Airlines served a total of 170,210 departing passengers in fiscal year 2004, exceeding by 63 percent the number of passengers it enplaned in FY 2003. The airline also surpassed by almost 50 percent its pre-9/11 enplanement level; only 114,390 Japan-bound passengers took Northwest flights out of Saipan in 2000.

Japan Airlines recorded the most number of enplaned passengers in FY 2004, with 184,075 passengers. This represents an increase of 24 percent from FY 2003 and a decline of 10 percent from FY 2000.

A total of 84,007 passengers flew from Saipan to Korea via Asiana Airlines in FY 2004, an increase of 9.5 percent from the preceding year.

China Southern Air also recorded growth in departures, from 11,899 passengers in FY 2003 to 23,332 in FY 2004.

The only other airline operating the Saipan-China route, China Eastern Air, served 5,195 passengers since it commenced operations in the Commonwealth last year.

Continental Airlines posted a decline of 32 percent, with the number of Manila-bound passengers dropping from 102,409 in FY 2003 to 69,387 in FY 2004. The Saipan Tribune tried, but failed to reach the airline for comment.

Among commuter airlines, Freedom Air registered the biggest enplanement figure with 80,876 passengers. Freedom Air’s statistics rose by 25 percent from FY 2003 to FY 2004.

Cape Air carried 5,976 passengers out of the CNMI since it started commuter flights between the Northern Marianas and Guam on July 1 until Sept. 30, 2004.

Statistics showed that the increased competition in the market took its toll on Pacific Islands Aviation, whose number of enplaned passengers dropped by 11-percent. PIA served 52,453 passengers in FY 2004, or 6,291 less than its total enplanement in FY 2003.

The commuter airline announced on Tuesday its plan to cease operations starting Feb. 9, citing stiff competition in the market and high operation costs.