FIVE flights from South Korea arrived at the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport on Wednesday.
Commonwealth Ports Authority Executive Director Christopher Tenorio said Jeju Airlines flew two of the flights while Asiana Airlines, Air Busan and Air Seoul each took to the air once.
But he said they have yet to determine the total number of passengers who arrived on island.
In his report to the CPA board of directors on Tuesday, Tenorio presented the current flight schedule, which includes United Airlines’ daily service that began on March 28.
Jeju Airlines has thrice weekly flights arriving on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
Asiana Airlines will bring in passengers on Wednesday and Saturday; T’Way Airlines, on Sunday and Thursday; Air Busan, Sunday and Wednesday; and Air Seoul, Wednesday and Saturday.
Tenorio also informed the board that CPA received confirmation from an airline that it will provide inter-island service. There is no schedule or commencement date yet. Tenorio also did not mention the name of the operator, but he said updates will be provided to the board as they become available.
Since March 2020, amid the global Covid-19 pandemic, the CNMI’s solitary industry of tourism, has been at a virtual standstill.
Early this month, the Marianas Visitors Authority said that although there were over 2,000 visitors in January 2022 compared to over 200 visitors in January 2021, “it is still a significant decrease from 55,686 visitors received in January 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Newly arrived visitors from South Korea walk toward the passenger pick-up area of the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport on Wednesday.
