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07/1/2025—Hong Kong Airlines extended the suspension of its Saipan route to Aug. 11, 2025, according to Commonwealth Ports Authority executive director Esther Ada.
Reading from her executive director report during the CPA board meeting last June 30 at the ARFF Building in Fadang, Ada gave an update about HK Airlines and other flights coming in and out of the Commonwealth.
The Tung Chung district-based carrier halted its flights from the former Crown Colony to the CNMI capital in May 8, 2025 and it was only expected to last until June 15, but the date came and went and still no reinstatement of flights from HK Airlines.
Continued disruptions with the Electronic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program, or EVS-TAP, is said to be the cause of Hong Kong Airlines’ literal flight from the Northern Marianas.
Meanwhile, Ada also reported that Jeju Airlines would be adding a second daily flight to Saipan starting in October as the South Korean low-budget carrier resumes its early morning flights to the CNMI.
“Jeju will return their early morning flight in October from October 26th, 2025 to March 28th, 2026. That's daily and that's their midnight flight. And then they will also have four flights, chartered flights from Busan in October,” she said.
It can be recalled that Jeju Airlines abruptly ended its Busan-Saipan route in mid-January 2025 following the horrific crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 in Dec. 29, 2024, at the Muan International Airport, claiming the lives of 179 people.
A second South Korean budget airline, T’Way Air, suspended its flights to Saipan last June 9 and is supposed to resume the service in July, but Ada admits CPA hasn’t heard anything from the carrier.
“T-Way, they suspended from June 9th to July 7th. We haven't heard back from them if they were coming back July 7th. So, once we hear from them, then we'll let everyone know,” she told board members during the June meeting.
As for United Airlines, Ada said the Chicago-based carrier continues to fly to Saipan via Guam daily and from Narita, Japan thrice a week.
She also gave CPA board members an update in the CNMI’s latest carrier—Greater Bay Airlines.
“Greater Bay Airlines, they had filed an application to fly to begin their services from Hong Kong to Saipan during the winter times. We haven't heard anything from them or they haven't communicated to us. However, we know that they submitted their application to the Department of Transportation.”
Ada also reported that CPA drafted a letter that Gov. Arnold I. Palacios signed requesting Secretary of State Marco Rubio to reinstate Asiana Airlines flights to the Commonwealth following its merger with Korean Airlines.
She also said that CPA is working hard and engaging with other airlines, such as Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, and Jetstar Airways to begin service into the CNMI.
Report by Mark Rabago
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