Star Marianas, the CNMI’s only commuter airline, said it intends to terminate all scheduled air service effective October 15 if there’s no resolution to a dispute over fees with the Commonwealth Ports Authority.

The airline’s board chairman Robert Christian sent a notice to the government outlining their concerns about the fee structures this morning.

“This difficult decision is driven primarily by the unsustainable airport fee structure imposed by the CPA, which renders continued service economically unviable,” Christian wrote in the letter.

Christian noted that “the CPA's current fee methodology fails to adhere to thefundamental principle of compensatory fees.”

He added, “As the sole airline operating at Tinian and Rota, we are disproportionately burdened by the airport's costs.” He also said that there is unpredictability when the CPA makes mid-year adjustments without clear criteria.

He added, “We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing safe and reliable air service to the airports in the CNMI, and we are not seeking subsidies. However, the current fee structure, which is both opaque and unpredictable due to decisions made by the local government, creates unacceptable risks that jeopardize our ability to operate sustainably.”

Christian said they are seeking a sustainable fee structure.

KUAM has reached out to CNMI Gov. Arnold Palacios, the Commonwealth Ports Authority, Rota mayor, and Tinian mayor for comment.