CPA pushes PAL for earlier Saipan return as departing Filipino workers face travel crunch

The Commonwealth Ports Authority is urging Philippine Airlines to resume Manila-Saipan service earlier than its planned October return, citing an expected surge in travel demand from hundreds of foreign workers who will need to temporarily leave the CNMI as part of the Commonwealth-Only Worker visa renewal process.

CPA board of directors chair Bart Jackson said the issue was raised during meetings with Philippine Airlines executives in Manila last week, where the airline reaffirmed its intention to restart the route in October.

"They're seemingly very excited about coming back in October."

But Jackson said CPA appealed for an earlier resumption because many CW workers—most of whom are Filipinos—will have to return to the Philippines during August and September before coming back to the CNMI.

"We tried to push them just a little bit and see if we could get them to come a bit earlier."

He said CPA explained the expected spike in passenger demand.

"There's going to be a number of our Filipino comrades who have to go back to the Philippines as part of their CW process. And that's gonna happen in August and September."

Jackson said the authority has also opened discussions with Cebu Pacific in hopes the Philippine low-cost carrier could establish direct Manila-Saipan service.

"We are working with Philippine Airlines and working with Cebu Pacific possibly to see if we can help our Filipino comrades get back to the Philippines a bit easier than flying through Seoul or through Narita."

For now, however, Philippine Airlines remains committed to its October relaunch.

"Right now, they'll be back in October and let's see if we can continue to work with them on getting back a bit sooner."

Jackson also dismissed suggestions that only a country's flag carrier can operate flights to the CNMI, saying there are no regulatory barriers preventing Cebu Pacific from entering the market.

"There is no rule of thumb relative to legacy carriers and flagship carriers coming to the CNMI, none whatsoever."

He said Cebu Pacific's earlier attempt to serve Guam was unsuccessful, making the airline understandably cautious, but CPA believes market conditions have changed.

"We shared all of the good things going on in the CNMI and tried to convince them to create a slot for us. We'll see what happens."

Jackson noted that growing demand from Filipino workers and travelers could strengthen the business case for direct Manila-Saipan flights.

"We shared the developments of what's going on in the CNMI, what's going on with contract workers, the demand that's going to be created for them, all of the different components of the economy that have really begun to rely on Manila traffic."

Beyond the Philippines, Jackson said CPA continues to pursue new international air links despite back-to-back super typhoons Sinlaku and Bavi.

He said he and CPA executive director Esther Ada attended the Routes Asia aviation conference in China during Super Typhoon Sinlaku, where they met with numerous carriers interested in serving the CNMI.

"We must have had 15, 20 meetings with airlines, not currently flying to the CNMI, who expressed interest, if not in the very near future, as part of their development plans over the next several years."

Jackson acknowledged that successive typhoons have complicated those efforts by prompting airlines to reassess expansion plans.

"Every time there's a calamity, a natural disaster of some kind, it forces anyone who's interested in entering the market to take a step back... Sometimes it causes a reassessment."

Still, he remains optimistic that additional airlines will eventually begin serving Saipan.

"I think that there are airlines that are still very interested, but these are not quick decisions."