Saipan airport awaits repair of navigational aids

The Francisco C. Ada-Saipan International Airport is close to being fully operational, as it now only awaits the repair of navigational aids for nighttime flights, according to Commonwealth Ports Authority chair Bartley Jackson.

In an interview with Marianas Press, Jackson shared some long-awaited positive news from CPA, confirming significant progress over the past week.

“The folks at the Commonwealth Ports Authority are working really hard to get us back to normal. And the good news is, from our part, we've done everything we can to get the airport up and ready and running—running normal operations.”

Jackson said that with the help of the Office of the Governor, CPA has acquired generators, finally giving the Saipan airport the electrical power it needs.

“We have generators at the wells, so the airport now has running water, which it needs in order to continue to function properly. We've repaired the runway lights, so the runway is working properly. The electrical issues are being worked through at the arrivals terminal,” he said.

The CPA official said the airport now only needs repairs to its navigational aids to become fully operational, a task that requires assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration.

“The last, very last piece of the puzzle are the FAA navigational aids, which is really an FAA issue—it’s not an airport issue. As soon as the FAA navigational aids are repaired and fully operational, then we'll be able to function at night.”

Jackson said operations at Saipan’s international airport are currently limited to daytime only, including daily flights by United Airlines servicing the Guam-Saipan route.

“But as soon as the FAA does their work—and they're doing that now, they're finalizing their repairs, they've ordered some equipment—as soon as they are up and running, then the airport will be fully operational. We'll be good to go.”

However, Jackson reiterated that the CNMI is not yet fully open for business, as the destruction brought by Super Typhoon Sinlaku makes it impossible to welcome tourists at this time.

“I don't think this really has any effect on tourism. For now, all of the available rooms are being filled by [Federal Emergency Management Agency] personnel, by Red Cross personnel, and soon we're going to be seeing some folks come off-island to repair the power grid, to repair damage to the island. So I think that for the next several months, really, all available [hotel] rooms will be used by folks who are here to repair.”

Jackson said the CNMI will effectively have no room for tourists in the coming months.

“But as the island gets back on its feet, as we repair the power grid, as we repair the hotels, then we'll be ready. We'll be ready all the way across for tourists to come back, and we'll be just about as good as new.”

As for his message to the public, Jackson succinctly said: “Just hang in there.”

“We know that this is a very, very difficult time for everyone. So be confident. Have trust in the administration. Have trust in the governor to get things back on track. And in time, as FEMA is here to help everyone, we'll be okay. Hang in there. I know that the people of the Commonwealth are always resilient and always optimistic, and that they should remain so, because there's good things coming.”