‘GIAA blocking SMA plan for Guam-Saipan flights’
For about two years now, Star Marianas Airlines has been trying to gain access to the commuter terminal of the Guam International Airport Authority so it could finally provide flights between Guam and the CNMI. The airport agency, however, has hamstrung this effort, says Star Marianas, by putting up one roadblock after another.
A sheaf of documents that Star Marianas made available yesterday details this tussle with GIAA that, according to the airline, violates their rights as holders of an air carrier certificate as well as some Federal Aviation Administration policies.
One issue brought up repeatedly in letters to GIAA is United Airlines’ use of the airport’s commuter terminal as a human resource department, which until today has been barred from Star Marianas’ use. United Airlines’ affiliate, Cape Air, provides the sole flight service between Guam and the CNMI.
Robert Christian, Star Marianas chairman and director of flight operations, pointed out that this is a violation of FAA Grant Assurance 29, which essentially prohibits an airport from making changes to FAA-approved airport layout plan.
Using the criteria of FAA order 5190.6B, which according to Christian differentiates between aeronautical and non-aeronautical property, GIAA is violating FAA policy.
“Aeronautical property has to be used for aeronautical purposes. It’s not optional,” Christian said
Letters to GIAA call this issue “obviously problematic” as an HR department does not require airside access and the use of the terminal in this manner prevents aeronautical activities at GIAA.
The letters also cite other violations of several FAA grant assurances, with a couple being Grant Assurance 22 that requires an airport to be made available for public use “without unjust discrimination to all types of…aeronautical activities” and Grant 23, which essentially requires that no “exclusive rights” would be given indirectly or directly to any corporation in the use of the airport.
“Basically you have Cape Air running an exclusive route between Saipan and Guam, while it’s affiliated partner is squatting in the commuter terminal and blocking us from coming in,” Christian said.
The issues were addressed repeatedly to GIAA, with some letters receiving no response or acknowledgement, according to Christian.
On Aug. 19 this year, Star Marianas met with GIAA, with discussion eventually leading to a request for Star Marianas to submit a proposed schedule of flights.
This was submitted with a proposed launch date for Sept. 15 this year.
However, a letter on Aug. 28 informed Star Marianas that it had been designated an interim location identified as the “Yellow Cargo Building” of the airport.
The letter also stated that Star Marianas would work with Guam Customs on processing and that once GIAA establishes a layout plan they would forward it to Star Marianas for comment.
There has been no layout forwarded to Star Marianas as of yesterday.
In its most recent letter to GIAA, Star Marianas noted that the use of a cargo building would place the airline at “a distinct and obvious disadvantage” compared to United/Cape Air.
“[Star Marianas’] customers are relegated to using a facility designed for cargo,” the letter states.
The letter recognized that United Airlines and GIAA have some form of residual-cost financing in place to fund the Guam airport, but claimed the relationship should not outweigh the responsibility to meet the airport’s assurances.
Yesterday, according to Christian, they filed a formal request to the FAA’s regional office in Los Angeles, asking the office to look into the matter.
According to Star Marianas, they are ready to begin services to Guam pending the resolution of these issues.
Calls made to GIAA after office hours were not immediately returned.
sorry bob time to get a boat
The other person knows when he hits a bump to heed for the sea>>
AC 150/1590-7 Paragraph 3 states;
“… Federal law requires that receivers of Federal grants (administered by FAA) sign a grant agreement or covenant in conveyance of property that sets out obligations that airport owner assumes in exchange for Federal assistance…”
GIAA did not read it or forgot that Federal grant is not a one way street. SMA should push fro stripping Federal grants due to breach of contract. Maybe this would wake up GIAA.
Buenas
It is very sad that the Guam International Airport Authority would go the extra mile for the furtherance of our people suffering. It reminds me back then during the TT Era Government, where we had to have a passport and authorization to enter Guam. Also, when our elders wanted to joined Guam as one government, so we can all benefitted of being United Citizens. But no Guam was to stubborn to think about their fellow brothers and sisters in the Northern part of the Mariana chain.
When I was in Guam for a long period of time, I was told from the elders that such negative attitudes towards our people in the Northern islands from the Guamanian, because during WWII Chamorro people from the Northern part came with the Japanese and the Chamorro mistreated the Chamorro in Guam. One particular elder told me a particular name, how he would come into their farm and he would instruct them to give up their produces or any live stocks for the Japanese. One time he was slap on the face by the same Chamorro from the Northern Islands for not bowing down in front of the Chamorro high huncho. And the worst thing is we knew the guy who the elderly person mentioned and we could not believe that a Chamorro will treat other Chamorro like dogs.
Star Mariana good luck on your pursuit of trying to help our people in the CNMI. After getting stuck at the Guam International for several days this year, for sure I will be taking Delta Airline whenever I travel from the CNMI to the United States.
Si Yu’us Ma’ase
wrong, bob is simply twisting the truth. Truth is he dosnt want to use the TSA and because of that does not want to use the terminal that allows commuter aircraft. the twelve 5 rule does exempt him. That dosnt mean he is not obliged to use it. Building a commuter terminal for a 9 seat single engine is boarder line nuts. The author Dennis Chin is also stretching the truth or simply put no investigative time into the article. GIAA already told ole Bob that Customs and Boarder Protection had them close the commuter terminal, for security reason.. Biba… SUE GIAA.