A Guam Business series providing a birds-eye view of carriers serving Micronesia
By Lara Ozaki
Asia Pacific Airlines
Owner: Tan Holdings Corp.
President: Adam Ferguson
Number of employees: 59
Awards in 2016: Certified by FAA for extended operations, or ETOPS, over water utilizing a two-engine aircraft.
Routes and service launch dates in Micronesia: 48 contiguous states, Hawaii, the middle and Western Pacific island nations and the Pacific Rim, started in 1998.
Claim to fame: APA is an all-cargo charter on-demand service utilizing Boeing 727 and Boeing 757 all-cargo aircraft. APA is the only US-121 supplemental carrier based on Guam.
Future opportunities in regards to Micronesia services: APA is upgrading its fleet of aircraft to newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft to allow for improved payload and range capability.
Cape Air, which does business as United Express in Micronesia
CEO: Daniel A. Wolf
Regional director: David Baker
Regional manager: Joel B. Tudela
Number of employees: Approximately 1,200
Awards in 2016: Best Flight Schedule between the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico; Best Small Aircraft Serving the Virgin Islands; Best Small Air Transport Serving the Virgin Islands and Caribbean — Virgin Islands Daily News
Routes and service launch dates in Micronesia:
- Guam–Saipan
- Guam–Rota: July 1, 2004
- Saipan–Rota: Aug. 1, 2004
Cost tiers/classes: One-tier
On-time performance: 83.6% (June)
Claim to fame: Hyannis Air Service Inc., operating as Cape Air, operates scheduled passenger services in the Northeast, the Caribbean, Midwest, Eastern Montana and Micronesia. Micronesia flights are operated as United Express flights through a code-share partnership with United Airlines. Hyannis also operates under Nantucket Airlines between Hyannis and Nantucket, Mass.
Star Marianas
President: Shaun R. Christianson
Number of employees: 115
Routes and service launch dates in Micronesia:
- Tinian–Saipan: April 2, 2009
- Saipan–Rota: June 2014
- Rota–Guam: Oct. 16, 2015
Cost tiers/classes: One-tier
Extra fees: Excess baggage $0.20 – $1 per pound
Claim to fame: The “star” in Star Marianas Air comes from the first letter of the islands of Saipan, Tinian, Aguiguan and Rota. The regional commuter airline serves the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam and offers charter flights that can be arranged 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in addition to scheduled flights.
