Senior DOT official makes first visit to NMI, pledges to address air service challenges
BY MARK RABAGO
Saipan Correspondent
CAPITOL HILL, Saipan — U.S. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs Jared Smith made his first official visit to the Northern Mariana Islands on Aug. 11, meeting with top government leaders, business stakeholders, and tourism officials to tackle the NMI’s worsening air connectivity crisis.
In a morning meeting at the Office of the Governor’s, Smith sat down with Gov. David M. Apatang, Lt. Gov. Dennis C. Mendiola, NMI Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds and senior agency heads from finance, commerce, ports, and tourism. Later in the day, he met private-sector stakeholders at the Crowne Plaza Resort & Spa Saipan.
The visit, initiated just 10 days after King-Hinds and Smith first discussed the CNMI’s air transportation problems, was hailed by local leaders as an unprecedented show of responsiveness from the Trump administration.
(From left) Air services negotiator, Tricia Kubrin, Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aviation, Jared Smith, Gov. David M. Apatang, and Lt. Gov. Dennis C. Mendiola after teh media briefing last Aug. 11 at the Governor's Office on Capitol Hill. Photo by Mark Rabago
“This is the fastest response we could have ever received,” King-Hinds said, thanking Smith for “demonstrating the department’s commitment” to helping restore critical lifelines to the NMI.
Smith said the trip was aimed at “jumpstarting” a federal-local working group that will include airline representatives like United Airlines, territorial agencies, and other stakeholders. The group will explore short-, medium- and long-term measures to improve service reliability and affordability.
Both Apatang and Mendiola underscored that the current service — one daily flight between Saipan and Guam at peak fares of $500 one way — forces passengers into overnight layovers and extra expenses. They also warned that tourism-dependent revenues are dwindling under current conditions.
Smith noted that while the U.S. Department of Transportation cannot act unilaterally on issues like cabotage waivers or Essential Air Service program eligibility, both require congressional action, DOT can facilitate “immediate” measures such as helping carriers overcome technical hurdles to expand codeshare or interline connections.
Smith and his staff, including air services negotiator Tricia Kubrin, heard presentations from the Commonwealth Ports Authority, Marianas Visitors Authority, the Department of Finance, and the Department of Commerce. Topics ranged from tourism market diversification to the NMI’s fiscal challenges.
In other aviation news, Micronesian Air Connection Services is flying both ways on the Rota-Guam route, four times weekly.
Paula Stewart, co-owner of MACS, said the airline is hoping to add the Saipan-Guam route in the future. mbj – Maureen N. Maratita contributed to this report.
Lt. Gov. Dennis James “DJ” Mendiola, of the Northern Mariana Islands, has been charged alongside two other public officials in connection with the alleged misuse of government funds and vehicles in 2022.
Jeju Air, which operates twice-daily flights from Seoul to Saipan, will suspend its night flight from Sept. 8 to Sept. 30 due to low ticket sales and fares. The airline is also considering suspending flights from Oct. 12 to Oct. 25, though that decision has not yet been finalized.
