Star Marianas Airlines left discouraged from their most recent talks with the Guam International Airport Authority for self-access to the airport there. GIAA has proposed a facility for use that would be noncompliant with the Federal Aviation Administration, and is less than ideal for travelers and tourists between the CNMI and Guam, according to SMA.<\/p>\n
The talks come amid an FAA informal investigation of the Guam airport over alleged violations SMA filed them in September, according to documents obtained by the Saipan Tribune.<\/p>\n
SMA met with GIAA Property Management division on Guam last Monday. President Shaun Christian, chair Robert Christian, and Rota treasurer Frank Atalig were in attendance, along with individuals from GIAA, according SMA.<\/p>\n
GIAA or Atalig could not be reached for comment over the holiday weekend. According to SMA, Guam airport wanted to give an update on the proposed \u201cYellow Cargo Building\u201d for SMA use. A layout of the facility was provided to SMA in October. <\/p>\n
However, during the meeting, they learned that the proposed facility currently has no handicap or disabled parking, and very limited parking in general, they said. Also, the soonest it would be available was in April next year.<\/p>\n
The only thing availably present was a hallway, according to SMA.<\/p>\n
\u201cCurrently it\u2019s not American with Disabilities Act-compliant,\u201d SMA president Shaun Christian told Saipan Tribune. He said they were told this would be addressed.<\/p>\n
Also, they were told that Guam Customs would not approve of inbound or outbound cargo, according to the president. Despite all of this, Guam airport asked them to approve the plan during their meeting, he said.<\/p>\n
But SMA did not believe that \u201cit was in our operational authority to approve or disprove\u201d the plan. They said this would have to be worked out with Guam and the FAA.<\/p>\n
The FAA investigation of Guam airport comes through an informal complaint filed by SMA in September.<\/p>\n
SMA alleges that the Guam airport has violated FAA grant assurances in using their commuter terminal for \u201cnon-aeronautical purposes,\u201d among other things. This terminal is reportedly used as a human resource department.<\/p>\n
In November, FAA responded to SMA\u2019s request for a \u201cformal\u201d investigation of the Guam airport. But SMA was essentially told that a formal complaint would not be considered until an informal process was completed and no resolution reached.<\/p>\n
According to FAA, \u201ca person directly and substantially affected by the alleged noncompliance must engage in good faith efforts to resolve the disputed matter informally\u201d with those responsible for the noncompliance, before filing a formal complaint.<\/p>\n
This complaint would not be considered until these \u201cgood faith efforts\u201d were shown, and unless there was no prospect for the dispute being resolved.<\/p>\n
Saipan Tribune asked the FAA\u2019s regional office in Honolulu when a decision for the informal process would be expected. An FAA public affairs specialist said they do not have \u201chave a specific timeline for completing our informal investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are aware that the GIAA is trying to work out an arrangement with Star Marianas,\u201d the specialist said.<\/p>\n
But SMA chair Robert Christian, in an interview last Thursday, called GIAA\u2019s efforts to work with them \u201cdisingenuous.\u201d<\/p>\n
SMA has for the last two years tried to gain access to the Guam airport. Right now, only charted planes are flown to Guam, with SMA restricted to third party ground handlers for passengers.<\/p>\n
This amounts to $40 more one way for passenger tickets, according to SMA. With their recent meeting with GIAA concluded, the SMA chairman said he sees little reason to work Guam again.<\/p>\n
He now believes the issue should not be one of \u201cus against Guam airport.\u201d He believes the real resolution now lies with Guam and CNMI leadership.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Rota\u2019s leadership\u2014the Northern Marianas, the governor, and the mayors\u2014are all happy to utilize a hallway with no waiting room, then far be it for us to deny them that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGuam airport has no interest whatsoever in putting together a program where there is a nice facility for people who want to visit the Northern Marianas to come to. There is no place to park; no place to wait…The building\u2019s noncompliant. Guam\u2019s noncompliant. We\u2019re not satisfied,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Saipan Tribune, in talking with residents of Rota, heard an expressed desire for direct flights from Rota to Guam, as they believe their economy is dependent on tourism, and direct flights would improve on this. <\/p>\n
Rota mayor-elect Efraim Atalig earlier spoke of his intention to work with Guam for direct flights. But the depth of this commitment is yet to be proven.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to become something [CNMI leaders] are going to have to deal with,\u201d chairman Christian said. \u201cBecause you really have the economy of both the Commonwealth and Guam that really need to come together and work to getting something that basic\u2014to open up free trade between the territory up there and here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt shouldn\u2019t be us against the airport,\u201d he added. (With Thomas Manglona II)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Star Marianas Airlines left discouraged from their most recent talks with the Guam International Airport…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[900,4],"tags":[126,51,1394,38],"class_list":["post-188337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured","category-local-news","tag-faa","tag-guam","tag-northern-marianas","tag-saipan-tribune"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188337","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=188337"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188337\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=188337"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=188337"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=188337"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}