“It is without any illusion but simply the tenor and spirit of hope for the future that the council shares with you the recent positive development between Japan and the United States in concluding their negotiations to liberalize the conservative aviation policy between the two nations,” acting Council Chairman Ramon B. Camacho said in a letter to Gov. Benigno R. Fitial.
The council wants the CNMI to negotiate a favorable landing and service opportunity packet similar to that secured by Continental Airline from Guam, “which eventually led Continental…to choose Guam over the CNMI as its main hub in servicing the Asia-Pacific region,” Camacho said.
“We should also open talks with Australian carriers servicing Japanese markets with stopovers on Guam or Saipan,” he told Fitial.
Camacho said similar talks should be initiated with Manila-based Philippines Airlines, which flies to Japan.
He said lifting flight restrictions will result in “more convenience and broader choice, in terms of pricing capacity, [on the part of] consumers, shippers, communities and employees.”
According to Camacho, the open skies agreement, which is scheduled for signature next year, will help develop the sluggish tourism market in the CNMI.
The agreement will remove the artificial restrictions placed on the number of U.S. airlines serving the entire Japanese travel market, which is limited at present to Delta, United and FedEx Corp.
United Parcel Service Inc., American Airlines, Continental, US Airways Group Inc., Hawaiian Holdings Inc and Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc are among the American carriers that will have unlimited flight access between the two countries under the agreement.
Camacho said Nippon Airline, Japan Airline and all other Japanese carriers can now partner with U.S.-based airlines in serving international routes, including the CNMI.
He admitted, however, that as long as the pact is unsigned, it remains speculative.
“The bright side of an unsigned pact, though, is it buys the CNMI lead-time in initiating dialogue and negotiating favorable terms on air links with U.S. or Japanese carriers or as partners in servicing the CNMI out of Japan,” he said.
