
Call For CNMI Leaders To Fight Back On High Airfares
Article – RNZ
The former representative shared his frustration after attempting to book a four-day roundtrip ticket from Guam to Saipan. Mark Rabago, RNZ Pacific Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas correspondent
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.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


NZ Herald
3 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Public media such as RNZ are not actually about audience ratings
Public media like RNZ serve a civic role beyond audience figures. Photo / 123rf THE FACTS Vaughn Davis' recent column about a 55-year-old Pākehā man called Keith who has never heard of RNZ is misguided. While I agree that meeting such a person is remarkable, Davis has extrapolated meanings from it that do not bear scrutiny. He claims that 'a chunk' of Keith's tax


NZ Herald
4 hours ago
- NZ Herald
NZ brand-tracking firm Tracksuit raises $42m, captures inside running in a world of tariffs and AI
Tracksuit has raised US$25 million ($42m) in one of the largest venture capital raises for a local start-up. The firm was founded in 2021 with the idea of giving smaller companies access to the same brand-tracking survey tools big companies buy in from big research outfits – but at a


Scoop
12 hours ago
- Scoop
Tuvalu Calls For Sea Level Rise Treaty At UN Oceans Conference
Article – RNZ 'Tuvalu calls for the development of an international treaty on sea level rise, to enshrine the legal rights of affected states and people.' RNZ Pacific Tuvalu prime minister Feleti Teo has called for an international treaty on sea level rise at the UN Oceans Conference in France. Speaking to delegates in Nice, Teo said the ocean is critical to his country's economy, culture and survival. He said he supports the UN Secretary-General's call for all nations to deliver on the 1.5 degrees Celsius promise in order to halt the rate of sea level rise. 'In that regard, Tuvalu calls for the development of an international treaty on sea level rise, to enshrine the legal rights of affected states and people, including the principles of statehood continuity and the permanency of maritime boundary,' he said. 'For Tuvalu, building the resilience and adaptability of our coastlines against the impact of sea level rise is our top adaptation program.' Solomon Islands prime minister Jeremiah Manele used his speech to condemn the pursuit of deep sea mining in the Pacific. Addressing delegates in Nice, Manele said his country has placed a moratorium on deep sea prospecting and mining. He said the world's oceans face three planetary crises: biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change. 'Despite this, some are pursuing deep sea mining with minimal regard for scientific understanding, environmental risks and global consensus,' he said. He said the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 – to conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources – is off track and underfunded. 'We must move beyond rhetoric to concrete actions that matches the scale and urgency to address today's crisis. 'We must also reform our global ocean governance architecture and shift from harmful exploitation to sustainable use of the ocean.' Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape said his national government does not support deep sea mining due to potentially devastating environmental consequences. However, his stance on the issue is opposite to the one the governor of his country's New Island Province has taken. Governor Walter Schnaubelt recently issued a statement backing Niu Solwara, the company planning to launch the controversial Solwara 1 seabed mining project in the Bismarck Sea by late 2027. Governor Schnaubelt said the new mining techniques employed by Niu Solwara are environmentally safe. Meanwhile, Palau's president Surangel Whipps Jr said financing is key to ensure a sustainable ocean economy that works for the planet. He said the mechanism must include grants for science and governance, patient capital for community-led enterprises, sustainable revenue mechanisms for marine protected areas, and robust local financial systems supporting nature-positive businesses. French Polynesia's president, Moetai Brotherson, spoke of his administration's plan to establish a network of highly protected marine areas (MPAs). This was met with applause. 'Why do we do it? We do it because we are not just looking at the ocean; we are not just seeing it at some place that we can fish. We are part of the ocean, and the ocean is part of us.'