Gov. Ralph DLG Torres will lead CNMI officials in welcoming the historic inaugural flight tomorrow, Friday, of Skymark Airlines Inc., which will launch daily direct charter flights from Tokyo to Saipan until Wednesday, March 27.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe CNMI will be Skymark\u2019s first international destination so this is a huge deal for them and us,\u201d Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Christopher Attao Concepcion told Saipan Tribune yesterday.<\/p>\n
Skymark is the first Japanese carrier to operate flights to Saipan since Japan Airlines withdrew from the CNMI market in 2005.<\/p>\n
Torres, Skymark president and representative director Masahiko Ichie, and Concepcion will hold a press conference at the Skymark check-in counter at the Francisco C. Ada\/Saipan International Airport shortly after the arrival of the first flight at 3:30pm.<\/p>\n
Members of the Legislature, MVA, and the Commonwealth Ports Authority board of directors will also be present at the press conference.<\/p>\n
MVA staff, three cultural performers, 2018 Miss Marianas Celine Cabrera, and MVA\u2019s Marianas-chan Jebro John Leon will greet the passengers of the inaugural flight. Leon is MVA\u2019s mini ambassador to Japan. <\/p>\n
Concepcion said they are very excited with the launching of charter flights from Tokyo.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a while since we\u2019ve seen direct flight service from Japan so the entire tourism industry is thrilled with Skymark\u2019s entry into the market,\u201d Concepcion said.<\/p>\n
Securing direct air service from Japan by Skymark was the biggest MVA projects that outgoing MVA managing director Concepcion had successfully completed. <\/p>\n
Concepcion said through his relations with airline industry professional in Japan they were able to meet the Skymark team and work closely with them as they planned these flights months ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe see nothing but long-term success for all of us. We welcome Skymark to the CNMI family,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Concepcion earlier disclosed that it was through his personal relations with airline industry executives in Japan, and direct negotiations with Skymark executives, that the CNMI was finally able to convince Japan\u2019s third largest carrier to launch flights to the CNMI.<\/p>\n
Skymark, will also launch additional flights in April and May for Japanese Golden Week.<\/p>\n
Skymark is expected to launch their regular scheduled flights in July.<\/p>\n
MVA expects a slight increase in arrivals from Japan after these initial flights commence.<\/p>\n
When daily flights launch in July, MVA believes there will be a significant increase in arrivals from Japan.<\/p>\n
Skymark donated 3 million in Japanese yen or about $30,000 to MVA for the CNMI\u2019s recovery efforts from Super Typhoon Yutu\u2019s devastation. <\/p>\n
The CNMI government and Skymark had signed a co-promotional agreement that would re-open direct flights between Japan and Saipan.
\nSkymark is the first low-cost carrier in Japan. It is also the only carrier that offers domestic flights based at Haneda International Airport in Ota, Tokyo.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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