Asiana Airlines replaced its regular flights from Incheon to Saipan with a charter schedule starting from 3 March. Photo: 123RF
Asiana Airlines replaced its regular flights from Incheon to Saipan with a charter schedule starting from Sunday 3 March, citing low demand and the recent increase in the airport usage fees.
Asiana Airlines Saipan station manager Hwang In-Tak hopes a plan for the government to adjust airport usage fees pushes through.
"We had suspended flights due to low demand of passengers, and also the charges at the airport. The government, however, is trying to help us in terms of these charges by adjusting them so that's good news," he said.
In September, the Commonwealth Ports Authority (CPA) adopted a new rate methodology that reflected a 90 percent hike in landing fees and a 79 percent increase in terminal rental fees.
With the increase, the CPA terminal rental rates for the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport's main terminal went up from $19.49 per square foot to $34.92. The terminal rental rates for all CNMI commuter terminals went up from $7.79 to $13.97.
As for landing fees, with the 90 percent increase, CPA now charges international airline carriers $15.25 per thousand lbs of certified maximum gross landing weight of the aircraft; they were previously being charged $8.01.
For CNMI commuter terminals, the 90%-increase brought landing fees up from $4.81 to $9.15.
Aside from the rate increases, the CPA board also adopted an eight-hour cut for all CPA employees and suspended its airline incentive program.
In addition, CPA also increased the rates at the Saipan airport's parking lot.