United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare) would consider relaunching services to Rota International in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) if the local government provided some financial assistance which would make jet services to the airport feasible, Marianas Variety has reported.

The carrier has previously announced it will terminate the Guam International-Saipan-Rota service on May 31, 2018, due to low demand. The route is currently operated on behalf of United by Cape Air (9K, Hyannis) with ATR - Avions de Transport Régional 42-300 equipment.

"[Because the demand is] small for a large jet operation, United would need to enter into a financial partnership with the government," managing director for global government and regulatory affairs Dan Weiss has said during a conference call with the CNMI governor Ralph Torres and Kimberly King-Hinds, Commonwealth Ports Authority board member.

The American carrier currently bases B737-700 and B737-800 aircraft out of Guam Int'l and could only serve Rota with either of these types, both much larger in capacity than Cape Air's ATRs.

The local government is considering providing financial assistance due to the importance of the Guam-Saipan route for tourism, business, and medical transportation.

"The discontinuation of the Cape Air service to Rota will leave only Star Marianas Air and Arctic Circle Air Service serving Rota, but these air operations have a very limited number of flights and seats. It will significantly impede the CNMI’s getting emergency specialty care for critically ill patients, transporting blood and other laboratory specimens and will certainly affect the transshipment of frozen laboratory specimens and supplies," CNMI Senate President Arnold Palacios has said.

The CNMI government estimates it would need a year to find a replacement carrier, should United decide to discontinue its presence at Rota.