Capital Airlines (China) (JD, Beijing Daxing International) has filed a lawsuit against the Commonwealth Ports Authority of the Northern Mariana Islands, over a decision to suspend all new international flights for a period of 60 days. As previously reported, the government of the islands has placed a moratorium on new flights coming into the US territory due to a concern that infrastructure cannot keep pace with an influx of tourists.
The airline was to launch a 2x weekly service from Hangzhou to Saipan, commencing June 29. The route was approved by the US Department of Transportation in October 2016.
The moratorium was only supposed to affect new flights, however the CPA has decided to include Capital Airlines' flights in the ban, reports the Saipan Tribune.
The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands (HANMI) originally supported the ban, however it does not believe that Capital Airlines should be included.
"There will be adverse consequences because of this," HANMI president Gloria Cavanagh told Marianas Variety. "We do not support the cancellation of already scheduled flights."
The Chair of the House Committee on Commerce and Tourism, Rep. Joseph Guerrero, has also come out in support of the airline.
"I hope that the governor would consider allowing [Capital Airlines] to fly in because they have scheduled their flights already," he told the Saipan Tribune. "It is a huge loss for the airlines in the event that they don't fly in."
