Marianas Southern Airways (Saipan) is the name of the newest airline of Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

The U.S. DOT has approved the name of the new airline.

The first aircraft, a new Tecnam P2012 Traveler, is named “Spirit of Saipan”. Then airliner has departed from Italy on its delivery according to the new airline.

The airline will compete against Star Marianas on local flights within the NMI. Specific routes will be announcved at a later time.

Marianas Southern Airways is a joint venture partnership between Saipan-based Marianas Pacific Airlines and Southern Airways Express.

Meanwhile Marianas Pacific Airlines is a new international consumer airline in its formative stages. Locally owned and operated, the CNMI based full-service passenger and cargo airline will bring the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) to Australasia and North East Asia, forging new trade opportunities for tourism, export and import businesses while facilitating the travel for essential services for the people of CNMI.

The airline will operate as a United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved scheduled service Part 121 air carrier, allowing unrestricted operations.

Marianas Pacific’s operations will provide 52 flights a week on seven niche routes in the next three years using three US registered aircraft. The planned routes will be accessible to over 313 million people in four countries within a 6 hour 15 minutes flying time of Saipan.