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JBEC: Ask JAL to retain Kansai flights
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Posted on Jun 15 2005
The Japan Business Executive Committee met with Gov. Juan N. Babauta again on Monday to urge him to do all he can to convince Japan Airlines to at least retain the airline’s flights to the Commonwealth from Kansai.
CNMI delegates had already visited Japan to meet with JAL president Toshiyuki Shinmachi to explain the huge impact that a pullout will have on the economy of the CNMI.
Although the delegation tried to convince JAL to reconsider their withdrawal, it seemed there was no possibility of revival of JAL flights from Narita due to the Narita Airport slot problem, JBEC said.
With this in mind, JBEC strongly requested the governor to approach JAL once again to keep its Kansai flight operation.
“If JAL cannot consider our negotiation, JBEC recommended to the governor [that he] express the extreme affects of JAL’s decision not to come back to CNMI in the future,” the group said in a statement.
Since the Haneda airport will become an international airport by 2007 and the second runway at the Narita Airport will open within three years, Narita and Haneda will have more slots. JBEC believes there are many chances that different airlines can fly to the CNMI.
JBEC said that Babauta promised them that he would request the Japan office of the Marianas Visitors Authority to set up another meeting with JAL so they could talk about keeping their Kansai flight operation.
The JBEC members said that they are really counting on the governor to bring back the good news to everyone in the CNMI.
JBEC is composed of representatives of Japan Airlines, Hotel Nikko Saipan, Aqua Resort Club Saipan, Coral Ocean Point Resort, Hafadai Beach Hotel, JALPACK International Micronesia Inc., Pacific Micronesia Tours, Pacific Development Inc., and NMDOA. (PR)
