Cheaper Flights To Micronesia?
A Hawaii state senator wants the island nations to unite behind聽a push for lower air fares to the vast region.
聽that Hawaii state Sen. Glenn Wakai is encouraging聽five Micronesian聽nations聽“to come together and put out a bid from airlines all government travel between their islands to significantly reduce airfare price.”
The current prices, said Waikai, a Democrat, are “astonishing.”
The senator visited聽Saipan recently聽with former Honolulu mayor Mufi Hannemann, founder of the Pacific Century Fellows Program.聽Wakai is founder of Reach Out Pacific, a Hawaii-based nonprofit.
Here’s more on the high ticket聽prices:
“Wakai cited an example that his recent eight-hour flight from Honolulu to Saipan cost $1,700.
“He said he was on an eight-hour flight on United Airlines from Honolulu to Chicago two weeks before going to Saipan and the cost of airfare was $800.”
Greater economic development in Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam is stymied by the high air fare, much of it available only on United.
Pull up a comfy chair, kick of your slippers and read Civil Beat’s series The Micronesians.
