(Office of the Governor) — In an effort to address the high cost of airfare for residents of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Gov. Arnold I. Palacios has initiated discussions with United Airlines’ regional and corporate leadership, including Sam Shinohara, Asia/Pacific managing director, and Dan Weiss, global government and regulatory affairs managing director.
“Our meetings have focused on cooperation in finding effective solutions to air service challenges in our region,” Governor Palacios said. “I appreciate United Airlines’ commitment to the Marianas, and the willingness of their leadership to engage in open dialogue and collaboration.”
During these meetings, Governor Palacios emphasized his commitment to working with the Commonwealth Ports Authority to roll back airport fees that had been increased by as much as 90% during the previous administration. These fee hikes have made airline operations in the CNMI much more costly and difficult. The CPA board voted last week to lower the excessive fees.
The governor asked, and United agreed, to examine opportunities to adjust flight times to make connections easier for CNMI travelers transiting through Guam. Currently, an overnight stay on Guam is required for all transiting CNMI residents traveling to or from Honolulu, as connecting flights are scheduled for the following day. The governor thanked United for continuing its Saipan – Tokyo Narita or NRT route and adjusting flight times to make it easier for customers to connect between Saipan and the U.S. mainland via Tokyo NRT.
Governor Palacios also spoke about the challenges of accessing United’s resident fares, and suggested making similarly reduced fares available to regionally based military personnel and their families who want to vacation in the CNMI. In response, United provided the governor’s office with a tutorial on how residents can use United’s mobile app and website to access resident fares. The governor’s office in turn provided United with recommendations identifying areas where this process can be further streamlined. United has additionally confirmed that similar reduced rate fares are currently available for military service members based in the region.
The governor and United representatives also agreed that a possible path forward for the CNMI may be to seek expanded air services through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Essential Air Service or EAS Program. This federal program helps small communities maintain a basic level of scheduled air service and provides subsidies for airfare to make travel more affordable. A legislative change to EAS statutory requirements is necessary for the CNMI and any of the U.S. territories to be eligible to participate in EAS.
Governor Palacios hailed these developments with United as a significant step in the right direction.
“United Airlines is an important domestic airline partner, and my administration aims to build a stronger relationship with them to ensure that our residents have access to affordable and efficient air service options,” the governor said. “United’s willingness to work with us to improve air transportation in the region is a testament to their long-term investment in the Marianas, and their commitment to deliver quality service to our communities.”
