Lawmakers are cautiously welcoming news that Cape Air will be able to field more flights, now that the interisland carrier is set to operate two airplanes on its Guam-CNMI route.
\nRep. Francis Taimanao (Ind-Saipan), chairman of the House Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation, and Communications, said this is \u201cgood news\u201d for the CNMI\u2019s traveling public.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just hope [Cape Air is] able to maintain this,\u201d Taimanao said, adding that Cape Air previously had two airplanes, only to reduce the number to one.<\/p>\n
Taimanao said his committee has yet to hear from Cape Air on the details of the additional airplane but emphasized that he welcomes additional flights.<\/p>\n
Rep. Joseph \u201cLee Pan\u201d Guerrero (R-Saipan) chairman of the House Committee on Commerce and Tourism, said he also considers the development \u201cgood news\u201d for the CNMI.<\/p>\n
\u201cHopefully, we don\u2019t see both aircraft break down,\u201d Guerrero said, adding that he hopes the services will improve, including flights to Rota.<\/p>\n
The lawmaker also said if he\u2019s going to give recommendations to Cape Air, he would ask the company to upgrade the current aircraft it uses.<\/p>\n
\u201cCape Air should consider finding a more suitable aircraft, perhaps a jet, instead of the turboprop that they now operate,\u201d Guerrero said.<\/p>\n
He said he understands the business side of it, and that a jet might be more costly in the short term.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope Cape Air is now ready to say that they are not going to encounter any more mechanical problems with these two airplanes,\u201d Guerrero said.<\/p>\n
The Commonwealth Ports Authority and Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) on Wednesday said Cape Air\/United will now fly two planes on its Guam-CNMI route.<\/p>\n
In a Facebook post, Sablan announced that a second Cape Air\/United airplane arrived on Saipan on Monday afternoon and will take about a week before it flies.<\/p>\n
Cape and United Airlines are code share partners for the Guam-CNMI route.<\/p>\n
CPA confirmed the arrival of the second airplanes, adding that the second aircraft was stationed at the Francisco C. Ada-Saipan International Airport.<\/p>\n
CPA said the aircraft has to undergo flight checks before flying. The ports authority could not yet provide a date when the second plane would fly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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