A Korean-based airline that will temporarily pull out of the CNMI told the Commonwealth Ports Authority that high fuel rates and hotel costs contributed to their decision.<\/p>\n
Saipan airport manager William Camacho, who met with the House Transportation Committee chaired by Rep. Donald Barcinas (R-Saipan) yesterday, said that Jin Air\u2019s decision to temporarily suspend five weekly Seoul-Saipan flights starting March 25 was partially due to high fuel and hotel rates compared to neighboring Guam.<\/p>\n
\u201cPrices of fuel\u2026as well as hotel rates\u2026[are] high in the CNMI. Those are the things that they have mentioned to our own committee dealing with airline slot time approvals,\u201d Camacho said, citing communication from Jin Air headquarters.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are saying that Guam is a lot cheaper than here, so that is a reason why the Korean market declined a bit here,\u201d he added. \u201cThey are only suspending though, for the summer schedule, but they are planning to [resume flights] for the winter schedule, which is [the] end of October,\u201d he said, adding that Jin Air is keeping its office on Saipan, which Camacho said is a \u201cgood sign.\u201d<\/p>\n
This statement was CPA\u2019s response to Barcinas, when he asked the agency about their plans to retain existing airlines in the Marianas.<\/p>\n
CPA board member Barry Toves, who also responded to Barcinas, said the Saipan airport is capable of providing airline services and that his committee, the CPA board committee for airline facilities, would discuss as well look into the matter.<\/p>\n
The Marianas Visitors Authority last Feb. 26, indicated in a press release a drop in Korean arrivals in January 2018 of about 7 percent compared to January 2017.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to find out first if it\u2019s a business decision\u2026or whatnot because we want to be able to address whatever challenges we have,\u201d said Toves.<\/p>\n
After the meeting, Barcinas told Saipan Tribune that he suggested to CPA to \u201clook at other routes\u201d for the tourism industry to prosper.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe [should] look at other routes so that we could avoid what happened to the Japan market,\u201d he said, referring to Delta Air Lines\u2019 plan to end the Narita-Saipan route.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to look at other routes such as Korea or China so that we can maintain the level of tourism and the income we are getting from these sources,\u201d he said, adding that the CNMI government needs to be proactive.
\nThe Delta pullout would be effective this May 6. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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