Severe shortage of seats for Rota travelers

Commuters have started to complain of severe shortage of seats on inter-island flights, barely two weeks since the pullout of Pacific Island Aviation from the Marianas.

Rota Senator Diego Songao, in separate letters to the only two carriers left flying within the Marianas, raised concern about the lack of airline seats resulting from PIA’s closure, as well as its negative impact to Rota’s economy.

Songao said the decreased flight service is affecting mainly the local travelers, as well as Rota’s tourism industry.

“I am personally aware of several recent instances where individuals have been forced to cancel meetings or appointments on neighboring islands due to a lack of seats, including one instance where relatives were unable to travel to the funeral of a family member,” Songao told Cape Air and Freedom Air.

Not only domestic travelers are having difficulty booking flights, but also several independent visitors who are traveling without the aid of tour agencies, Songao said. “This could be potentially devastating to Rota as we try to increase our share of the tourist market,” he said.

Songao also expressed concern for the medical referral patients who need off island care.

Cape Air and Freedom Air, he said, could help accommodate travelers by increasing inter-island flight service between Guam, Rota, and Saipan.

Songao further urged Cape Air to eliminate any penalties for late booking charges, which are assessed for passengers who purchase tickets less than one week before the travel date.

“As I understand it, currently, passengers are required to pay almost twice as much in airfare if reservations are not made at least one week prior to travel. While I understand the merits of this policy when booking international travelers, I would ask that Cape Air be more sensitive to the needs and often unpredictable schedules of domestic travelers,” Songao said.

PIA ceased its flight operations within the Marianas starting Feb. 10, citing stiff competition in the market and high operation costs as the major reasons for its decision.

In a news statement, PIA maintained that there are too many airlines currently competing for a limited number of customers available in the market. Also servicing the Saipan-Rota-Guam route are Freedom Air and Cape Air.

“With Continental introducing Cape Air’s service (which is similar to the service being provided by PIA), there is too much capacity in the market to justify the costs associated with both companies’ need to service overhead cost,” the airline said.

PIA also expressed confidence that its decision would benefit the remaining service providers and allow them to continue to provide safe, frequent, and affordable services between the islands.

“We are proud to have been a part of this community’s development for so many years and we appreciate all the support we’ve received. With Freedom Air and Cape Air doing a good job of serving the market, we feel it’s an appropriate time for us to exit,” PIA chief executive director Robert F. Christian said.