United executive says hotel renovations more important than destination flight incentives; new planes in 2026
BY MAUREEN N. MARATITA
Journal Staff
Speaking at the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s Micronesia Chapter’s membership meeting on Oct. 21 in Yap, Anthony Falvo, senior manager for Pacific Network Planning for United Airlines, said incentives for airlines for a new route are not uncommon.
United might speak with a government or an airline authority or a visitors bureau that would be willing to share some of the risk if it a route is not initially profitable but may become so, he said. Guam has used them successfully, and Falvo said he would recommend them for the other islands.
A United Airlines Boeing 737 flies over Guam. Photo by Skyler Obispo
In response to a question from David B. Tydingco, vice chairman of the PATA chapter, chairman of the Tourism Policy Committee of the Guam Travel and Tourism Association and managing director and CEO at Valley of the Latte Adventure Park, on what Guam can do from an investment perspective, Falvo said, “What needs to happen first is investment in hotels and activities to do on the island. There needs to be a draw that brings people to the island, especially when there is a considerable price increase versus what it used to cost to travel …,” he said. “Before investment in new air service, I think an investment in the hotels is the best use of your dollars,” Falvo said.
When demand increases and people are eager to travel again, he said United would see that. “And we’ll work with you all and come up with special agreements and facilitate — not just air service. I think it all starts on-island to create those attachments and to create those accommodations, but we’ll be there.”
Falvo said United is the largest airline in the world. “In the Pacific alone, United is also the largest airline and we are two times the size of our next largest competitor, which is Delta.”
That figure does not include intra-Asia and intra-Micronesia flights, he said.
Guam acts as a United connecting hub throughout the Pacific region. Falvo said the airline looks not only at where people are flying to, but their onward route.
United has invested heavily in the region, he said since 2020, replacing its 737-700s with larger 737-800s, introducing an “international” widebody on the Guam-Honolulu route with a nicer business class seat, a new premium economy product … and meals in economy class, which Falvo said “was requested for a very long time.”
Since COVID, United introduced three new flights to the region on the Saipan-Narita route, the Guam-Haneda route, which Falvo described as “a very big win for the whole region,” and the Guam-Taiwan flight which started April 2. Falvo said, “When there are islands that we are serving with demand that is maybe 20, 30, 40 people a day from that island to the rest of the world, I need to make sure that the connections are as smooth as possible, so that we can justify flying and hopefully grow our services all the time.”
Beginning in February, United will introduce 10 new 737 MAX 8 aircraft to Guam and the region, Falvo said. One of the features is larger overhead bins allowing people to bring all carry-on luggage onboard. “What people are most excited about is there will be seatback entertainment with touchscreen and hundreds of movies, television shows, streaming. There will be WiFi onboard.”
During COVID, United reduced the overall fleet in Guam, until the Japan market recovers. “We used some of the airplanes that were historically flying between Japan and Guam in order to launch the new routes between Tokyo Narita and some intra-Asia destinations,” he said. In November a Cebu route was launched from Tokyo and this year a route from Tokyo to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia. The latter route has been successful and will be offered in the summer months of 2026, he said. “In just over a week we will launch a flight between Tokyo and Palau — something that we’re very excited about …”
FalvoAs to the Japan market, Falvo said of the airline, “We really want to be the ones to add new flights when the demand comes up again.”
Besides Tydingco, the audience included other tourism leaders and tourism industry businesspeople from around the region attending in person or virtually, such as Marcellus J. Akipito, executive director of the Chuuk Visitors Bureau and chairman of the chapter; and Gerald S.A. Perez, vice president of the Guam Visitors Bureau.
Perez gave a presentation on the Micronesian Cruise Association’s report from 10 years ago on its plans for a cruise route within Micronesia.
“It’s been discussed for many, many decades,” he said. The fundamental issues to be addressed have not changed,” he said. Perez talked about possible actions to move the initiative forward. mbj
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