The airports in Guam and Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands are one of the essential portals to the islands.
Both of them — and the airports of all the islands of Micronesia — are fortunate that the Federal Aviation Authority has oversight of them.
Through the decades the FAA has been responsible for the safety and upgrade of various facilities at our island airports.
These essential upgrades include firefighting facilities, runways and more.
In addition, such projects keep contractors willing to work with local governments and their employees an involved part of our communities.
The Commonwealth Ports Authority on March 28 held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $1.7 million paving of the access road to the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport’s commuter terminal. That work was awarded to Hawaiian Rock Products and Hofschneider Engineering Corp. and was also funded by the FAA.
In Guam, the A.B. Won Pat International Airport hosted its own groundbreaking ceremony the next day for the $31.1 million Apron & Taxiway Rehabilitation. That project is 90% funded by the FAA, and 10% funded by GIA capital improvement funds.
In attendance at both events was Mark McClardy, director, Office of Airports, Western Pacific Region for the FAA; and Carlos Salas, assistant manager, FAA Airports District Office, Honolulu.
Many readers will know Carlos Salas who has served as a member of the airport management teams in both the NMI and Guam. Both gentlemen had firsthand experience on this trip of the essential nature not only of our airports, but of the airlines that operate between them.
Airports sometimes have uneasy relationships with their signature airlines.
These are often due to landing fees, as our Letter to the Editor in this Commentary section shows.
As we seek to encourage new airline players that relationship with existing airlines needs to operate congenially and smoothly.
Additional airlines mean additional passengers, but can also cause additional businesses to look at our airports as a place to do business — sorely needed to also lift up the reputations of our airports as departure and transit destinations.
Airports and their tenants need to be happy partners on the road to recovery and progress of our essential tourism industries. mbj
Both of them — and the airports of all the islands of Micronesia — are fortunate that the Federal Aviation Authority has oversight of them.
Through the decades the FAA has been responsible for the safety and upgrade of various facilities at our island airports.
These essential upgrades include firefighting facilities, runways and more.
In addition, such projects keep contractors willing to work with local governments and their employees an involved part of our communities.
The Commonwealth Ports Authority on March 28 held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $1.7 million paving of the access road to the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport’s commuter terminal. That work was awarded to Hawaiian Rock Products and Hofschneider Engineering Corp. and was also funded by the FAA.
In Guam, the A.B. Won Pat International Airport hosted its own groundbreaking ceremony the next day for the $31.1 million Apron & Taxiway Rehabilitation. That project is 90% funded by the FAA, and 10% funded by GIA capital improvement funds.
In attendance at both events was Mark McClardy, director, Office of Airports, Western Pacific Region for the FAA; and Carlos Salas, assistant manager, FAA Airports District Office, Honolulu.
Many readers will know Carlos Salas who has served as a member of the airport management teams in both the NMI and Guam. Both gentlemen had firsthand experience on this trip of the essential nature not only of our airports, but of the airlines that operate between them.
Airports sometimes have uneasy relationships with their signature airlines.
These are often due to landing fees, as our Letter to the Editor in this Commentary section shows.
As we seek to encourage new airline players that relationship with existing airlines needs to operate congenially and smoothly.
Additional airlines mean additional passengers, but can also cause additional businesses to look at our airports as a place to do business — sorely needed to also lift up the reputations of our airports as departure and transit destinations.
Airports and their tenants need to be happy partners on the road to recovery and progress of our essential tourism industries. mbj