Call for CNMI leaders to fight back on high airfares
Photo:
Supplied / United Airlines
Former Northern Mariana Islands lawmaker Edwin K. Propst taken to social media to urge leaders to "go to war" with United Airlines over what he claims are exorbitant airfares between Saipan and Guam.
The call to action comes amid renewed efforts to reinstate the Essential Air Service program in the CNMI and push for a cabotage exemption.
"Attention all leaders of the Marianas in the public and private sector, it is time to go to war with this airline," Propst wrote.
The former representative, who now works at the CNMI broadband policy and development office, shared his frustration after attempting to book a four-day roundtrip ticket from Guam to Saipan in June - to find the lowest available fare was US$767.
"For a 25-minute flight?!
"They have just made record-breaking profits and instead of rewarding their customers, they increase their prices."
Propst called the airfares "devastating" to the local economy and tourism.
The CNMI is currently seeking exemption from federal cabotage restrictions, which bar foreign airlines from operating domestic routes between US territories such as Guam and the CNMI.
Governor Arnold Palacios mentioned this effort during his State of the Commonwealth Address, saying he had "actively advocated for potential cabotage waiver [and] essential air services" in recent talks with federal agencies and congressional leaders.
Palacios emphasized the importance of improved regional connectivity to support the CNMI's tourism-dependent economy.
Senate public utilities, transportation and communications committee chair, Senator Jude Hofschneider called Propst's complaints a "sad reality of economic times," adding that United's pricing is "likely a business decision by the air carrier".
Still, Hofschneider said the moment calls for greater support of Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds' bill introduced in April to requalify CNMI airports for the Essential Air Service (EAS) program. If passed, the measure would allow federal subsidies to fund daily round-trip flights even if commercial carriers withdraw service.
A quote from CWM Travel International showed a Saipan-Guam roundtrip departing 8 June 8 and returning 12 June costing $420 - significantly cheaper than Propst's booking but still high for an inter-island flight.
The EAS program, created in 1978 and stripped from CNMI eligibility in 2012, was intended to preserve air access for small US communities.
King-Hinds' bill seeks to restore eligibility to Saipan, Tinian, and Rota by placing CNMI alongside Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico in exemption status.
United Airlines has not responded to requests for comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
PM Christopher Luxon rejects idea of visa waivers, extended visas on first trip to China
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (centre) and Tourism Minister Louise Upston (to his left) at headquarters in Shanghai. Photo: RNZ / Craig McCulloch Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has poured cold water on the idea of complete visa waivers, or extended visas for "premium" travellers from China. On his first trip to China in the job, Luxon spent the morning visiting the headquarters of the country's top online travel agency to witness a deal being signed with Tourism New Zealand to coordinate marketing campaigns. He was given a tour of the building and treated to a high-tech multimedia display showcasing the demand for holidays from Chinese tourists. chief executive Jane Sun and vice president Edison Chen both used the opportunity to pitch the extended visa ideas to Luxon, but he told reporters it was not being considered. "Immigration New Zealand deals with immigration for 195 countries, what we've asked them to do since the beginning of the year as we go for growth is to continue to look at our settings with respect to China - are they appropriate? We believe they are," he said. "You're seeing us constantly adjust our visa settings ... we won't be doing that today, it's not something we've discussed or talked through." He denied it was about a lack of trust. "No, not at all. It's just Immigration New Zealand has a decision and a responsibility to look at the visa settings for 195 countries ... that's a decision for them to make," he said. "I'm really comfortable with Immigration New Zealand, I'm very comfortable with our visa settings." Luxon pointed to a 40 percent increase in interest in New Zealand from the platform over the last 30 days. Sun and Chen both commended Luxon for the government's Monday announcement the government would trial visa waivers for Chinese travellers arriving from Australia . Immigration NZ is also adding simplified Chinese content to its official website, and scrapping the requirement for certified translations on visa documents. "Those are the things that we're trying to do to make sure the visa encumbrance is as less as possible ... New Zealand's a pretty attractive proposition," Luxon said. The challenge New Zealand faced in recovering tourism from China was more to do with marketing than improving access, he said. "Just ask you to take a step back, this is a country where New Zealand's trade with the China economy is about a third of 1 percent ... so our biggest challenge is actually getting share of mind and raising the profile of New Zealand within China and that's a marketing challenge. "You have to be in the market advocating very strongly and there's no doubt about it we had a very inward-looking period, and we also actually were very slow coming out of Covid." Tourism Minister Louise Upston said that as suggestions about visa changes came up, they would be evaluated "on whether or not those support our aspirations". "We've had a number of suggestions put to me in my time as the minister and we have actively worked on a couple of them. There's another one coming, but we will consider other options as the months progress. "I want to make sure we're taking practical steps at a time rather than leaping into changes that would be more significant." She pointed to the marketing deal signed with saying it meant using technology "not just to launch to the China market but across the globe, making it very clear that New Zealand's open for business". Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- RNZ News
Bay of Islands cruise ship numbers set to plummet
Cruise ships feature prominently in the Bay of Islands tourist scene over summer. Photo: NZME The Bay of Islands $23.34 million cruise ship industry will be hit hard next season with the number of visiting ships set to plummet. Bookings for the tourist mecca's 2025/2026 cruise season have almost halved from the peak two years ago. A cruise ship representative blamed the decline on a number of factors affecting New Zealand's cruise industry, including tougher biofouling rules along with compounding cost increases from central government, ports and regional authorities. There are just 47 cruise ships scheduled to visit the Bay of Islands for the coming season. This compares with 92 cruise ships booked for the peak 2023/2024 season. The coming season's numbers have reinforced the annual bookings decline in the Bay of Islands since the peak. Bookings for the 2024/2025 season were almost 20 percent down on 2023/2024. Seventy-four ships were booked. New Zealand Cruise Association chairperson Tansy Tompkins said the drop in numbers had many in the industry deeply concerned about the future. "New Zealand's booking momentum, has slowed significantly, and while final itineraries are still being confirmed, current projections indicate a major downturn," Tompkins said. The decline from the peak was "sobering", Tompkins said. She said the forecast for the coming season put New Zealand back to 2017/2018 season levels. Tompkins said the risk of cruise ships being refused entry into New Zealand because of dirty hulls was one of several key reasons for the decline. The risk threatened New Zealand cruise ship destination brand. Tougher biofouling rules for visiting cruise ships came into force for the Bay of Islands and the rest of New Zealand in October 2023, just as the 2023/2024 season got underway. Eighty-seven cruise ships arrived in Bay of Islands' 2023/2024 season - meaning five vessels did not turn up. Four cruise ships did not turn up in the 2024/2025 season - including the last two for the season due on 30 May - due to weather, according to Far North Holdings chief operating officer Robert Binney. All cruise ships entering New Zealand must have no more than a thin layer of slime and goose barnacles on their hulls when they arrive. Biofouling can introduce foreign marine species. These can threaten the environment, economy, and cultural values. It happens when too much sea life - including foreign algae, barnacles and other marine growth and may include shrimps and crabs - builds up on ship hulls. Tompkins said unpredictability around the introduction of new regulations also contributed to the decline. Cruise companies had to deal with the outcome of this when passengers booked up to two years in advance. And New Zealand was now the world's most expensive place for cruise ships to visit with significant compounding cost increases including from central government, ports and regional authorities. This was putting New Zealand at a competitive disadvantage. She said senior cruise line executives had a perception New Zealand was difficult to operate in and an unwelcoming destination. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- RNZ News
Christopher Luxon urged to widen focus of China visit beyond trade
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Lima, Peru, in November 2024. Photo: Pool / Chris Skelton Community leaders recognise the importance of trade in New Zealand-China relations but are also calling on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to push for closer people-to-people ties on his upcoming whirlwind visit to China. What's more, leaders of New Zealand's Chinese community have called on Luxon and officials in China to openly discuss difficult topics such as human rights and regional security in a transparent manner to improve wider understanding on the issues. Luxon is scheduled to meet China's top officials on his three-day trip to Shanghai and Beijing, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. The 18-20 June visit would focus on expanding trade with China, New Zealand's largest trading partner, as well as strengthening education and tourism links, Luxon said. New Zealand's comprehensive bilateral relationship with China as well as key regional and global issues would also be on the agenda, he said. Ahead of Luxon's visit, the government announced Sunday that Chinese nationals travelling from Australia with a valid Australian visitor, work, student or family visa could visit New Zealand visa-free for up to three months. Lisa Li Photo: Supplied Lisa Li, managing director of China Travel Service New Zealand, said the new visa waiver announcement was "exciting". Li said tourism from China had been growing but was still far short of the 400,000-plus Chinese visitors that were arriving each year before the Covid pandemic. "I think it's good timing before the prime minister's visit and absolutely will stir up public attention towards New Zealand," Li said. "That's what we have been ask for a long time - how we can simplify our visa policy. ... I think this is a very typical [example of doing] more for less." As part of the executive board for the China Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand, Li said Luxon's visit should benefit the country's exporters. "I believe the events [around the prime minister's visit] will be around our food and beverage exports, so our premium New Zealand produce will attract a lot of attention," she said. Li would like to see more high-level visits from both countries, as well as more people-to-people exchanges. David Tai Photo: Supplied David Tai, chairman of the Auckland Chinese Community Centre, said New Zealand could serve as a food basket for China. "We do farm very well and efficiently," Tai said. "It's a matter of increasing the volume, and China does have the volume needed. "It's great to have Chinese students here. I believe that will hopefully improve understanding between the two countries through education." Tai believed there should be some discussion on how to improve New Zealand-China ties. "Good relations between New Zealand and China are important, particularly in the current environment of uncertainty and chaos," Tai said, pointing to recent trade tensions caused by such things as US President Donald Trump's tariff threats. "We need to make more friends when there is more uncertainty." Paul Chin Photo: Supplied Paul Chin, national president of the New Zealand Chinese Association, saw value in the cultural exchange elements of Luxon's visit. "I think talking about that with the kapa haka delegation accompanying the prime minister brings strengthened integration and mutual respect," Chin said. Chin hoped the prime minister could also discuss science and technology, climate cooperation, marine science and AI governance with his Chinese counterparts. It was important for leaders from both sides to refrain from shying away from controversial issues such as human rights and regional stability, Chin said. "We've heard about the Cook Islands' arrangement, and I think if we can see some talks around supporting sustainable development, that'll be great," he said. "I think there's always a discussion on a balanced stance on human rights. ... We always support strong engagement." Chin said it was important for leaders to discuss balancing economic ties with regional security concerns. He stressed it was important for New Zealand to have an independent foreign policy. Luxon was due to visit Europe after his trip to China, during which he would participate in the NATO summit and hold one-on-one talks with several NATO leaders. "We've heard about New Zealand's participation in NATO in discussions around AUKUS," Chin said. "We would like to see that framed constructively ... and try to avoid alienating either partner. "I think the more people talk about things, the more they can bring things out in the open rather than not talking about it because then it starts bringing suspicion. If you can be open and transparent, that's always good." Auckland Chinese community leader Richard Leung said Luxon's visit would be an opportunity to strengthen trust, trade and community ties. "These trips are not just about trade, they're about building trust, cultural understanding and a balanced diplomatic relationship that benefits everyday New Zealanders, including our Chinese community," he said. Leung encouraged Luxon to lead with confidence and care. "This visit is a chance to show that small countries like ours can be strong, principled and constructive on the world stage," Leung said. "A respectful, forward-looking relationship with China, done the right way, benefits everyone."
