THE United Airlines Tokyo-Saipan flights will resume this September, which should be good for the economy, but there may be public health concerns due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said on Friday.
“I am excited, but I am concerned, obviously, because we’re not out of the woods with [Covid-19], especially with Japan, but we continue to monitor that. I hope that we can strengthen that partnership with the Japan government. A discussion about travel bubble, perhaps, is underway,” he said.
For the local economy, the resumption of the flights is promising, he added.
“The people here in the CNMI have worked really hard with the [Marianas Visitors Authority] to bring back our Japanese market. Through [negotiations with] Skymark [Airlines], we brought them back. They were doing very well during the pandemic. Unfortunately, they have their own challenges domestically, so now we have a [partnership] with United,” he said.
“I think this is a strong partnership because not only will we bring tourism from Japan, but [it is] also [an] opportunity for our locals to travel abroad and use United [to travel] via Japan and then out to the [U.S. mainland]. It makes it very convenient. I’m very excited for that part.”
According to MVA, the flights between Tokyo and Saipan will resume on September 1 — the first direct flight service between the two destinations since before the pandemic.
United Airlines will fly three weekly flights departing Tokyo-Narita International Airport at 9:25 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday and arriving on Saipan one day later at 2 a.m. Flights from Saipan will depart on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7 a.m. and arrive in Narita at 9:35 a.m.
The direct flights are supported by the Office of the Governor, the MVA Tourism Resumption Investment Plan, and the Commonwealth Ports Authority.
Ralph DLG Torres
