STAR Marianas Air Inc. may cancel its Rota-Guam flight service pending clarification from the Commonwealth Ports Authority on whether arrangements have been made for U.S. Customs and Border Protection to be present at the Benjamin Taisacan Manglona International Airport on Rota.
In his letter to CPA Executive Director Leo Tudela on Tuesday, Star Marianas Chair Robert F. Christian cited the importance of ensuring compliance with the CBP pre-screening requirements for flights departing Rota to Guam.
Star Marianas wants to know if CPA has made arrangements to ensure that adequate CBP staffing will be available at the Rota airport.
He said if no such arrangements have been made to meet CBP’s requirements, Star Marianas will notify both the U.S. Department of Transportation and the airlines’ pre-booked passengers that “due to circumstances beyond our control, flights between Rota and Guam may need to be canceled. This unfortunate outcome could have been avoided with adequate facilitation of CBP services by CPA.”
On Sept. 2, 2024, Christian informed CPA of the airline’s decision to discontinue providing unreimbursed transportation for CBP personnel between Saipan and Rota by Oct. 1, 2024.
Christian also asked Tudela to advise Star Marianas regarding staffing plans at Rota airport.
“It is imperative that we have a clear understanding of the situation so that we can manage our operational commitments and communicate transparently with our passengers,” Christian said.
Asked for comment, Tudela said he received Christian’s letter at around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, and was still discussing it with CPA’s attorney.
