Aussie aviation veteran to launch airline for US territory that could be the next Bali

Pristine blue waters of the Micro Beach and the far-off Managaha Island backdrops a perfectly manicured garden with pond in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.
By Alexandra Coulton


An Australian aviation veteran is looking to establish a new airline for a tropical island just north of Guam that has aspirations of becoming the next Bali.

Though you may not have heard of it, Saipan is the largest of the Northern Mariana Islands in the Western Pacific, and it’s kicking some major goals when it comes to vaccination.

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) has vaccinated 70 per cent of its population, just 10 per cent shy of herd immunity, according to the Saipan Tribune.

Neil Hansford, who has a background in airline freight services and aviation consulting, told The Australian that Saipan would be an obvious choice for COVID-safe travel.

For the past year, Hansford has been busy setting up an airline called Marianas Pacific to fly to COVID-safe destinations, including Australia.

“No Australian health authority is going to allow travel to Bali any time soon, same with the Philippines. Australians are going to want to go somewhere that’s COVID-safe, and Saipan ticks all the boxes,” he said.

“It’s the same distance (from Brisbane) as Bali, it has the same quality of hotels, the same sort of resorts, better diving, English is the main language, and they’re in the same time zone as us.”

Hansford told The Australian that the island, which is a US territory, is ideal for Aussie travellers, with a low crime rate, no “beggars” and similar food to Australia.

Plus, both marijuana and same-sex marriage are legal, which sounds like a party to us.

“They don’t drink Australian wine yet – we’d like to change that. There’s American wine and beer and plenty of nightlife but it’s a family place, not a cesspit,” he said, adding that hotel rates were on par with Bali.

With the backing of the island’s governor, Ralph Torres, the airline will initially fly Boeing 757s between Saipan and South Korea, with hopes to operate from Brisbane once a travel bubble can be established.

Featured image source: iStock/zorazhuang

Latest News

  • Aviation

Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash

It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]

  • Attractions

SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024

AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]

  • Cruise

Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales

Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]

  • Technology
  • Travel Agents

Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy

Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]