Hawaiian Air seeks more flight attendants
Hawaiian Airlines, which conducted a mass interview of 2,200 prospective flight attendants in December, is accepting applications to fill up to 175 new flight attendant positions for its trans-Pacific and neighbor island routes.
"This is sort of a second round of hiring to get to the 275 people that we need," Hawaiian spokesman Keoni Wagner said. "Generally, because people don’t always complete the training, we’re hiring for attrition and trying to make up for that in the second round."
Applications will be accepted until Feb. 14 and must be submitted online to Hawaiian’s website for consideration. Visit www.HawaiianAir.com/AboutUs/Employment-Opportunities/ for more information about the flight attendant positions and other jobs. Qualified candidates will be contacted by Hawaiian if they are selected to participate in an initial interview later this month.
Hawaiian, which has more than 4,200 employees, the most in the company’s history, plans to increase its work force by an additional 500 employees this year.
Hawaiian is hiring flight attendants to support new services being added this year to Fukuoka, Japan; and New York; as well as an additional third daily flight between Honolulu and Los Angeles; a seasonal flight between Maui and Los Angeles; and increased service between Honolulu and Seoul. The airline also is increasing its neighbor island service by an extra 23 to 25 flights a day.
Separately, the company’s stock price fell 65 cents, or 9.3 percent, to $6.31 Wednesday after being downgraded by two analysts because of the company’s route and aircraft expansion. Hawaiian reported Tuesday a 70.4 percent drop in fourth-quarter earnings that were impacted by non-recurring items, as well as fuel costs.
Bob McAdoo of Avondale Partners LLC lowered his rating to "market perform" from "market outperform" and set his 12-month target price at $7. Hunter Keay of Wolfe Trahan cut his rating to "peer perform" from "outperform."
Horizon raises fuel charge to 45.5 percent
Horizon Lines Inc. said Wednesday it is increasing its fuel surcharge between the mainland and Hawaii by 5 percentage points to 45.5 percent from 40.5 percent, effective Feb. 26. The increase matches one announced last week by Matson Navigation Co.
Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines said Monday it will increase its fuel surcharge by 5 percentage points to 41.5 percent from 36.5 percent, also effective the same day as the other two shippers.
Seawater air conditioning firm gets permit
The developers of a project that will use cold ocean water to provide air conditioning for downtown Honolulu said Wednesday they have received a permit from the state that will allow them to begin construction in the Kakaako area.
The awarding of a Special Management Area use approval and shoreline setback variance to Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning LLC is a "major milestone" for the project, said William Mahlum, HSWAC president and CEO.
The SMA permit system provides guidance through state law for managing coastal development and allows HSWAC to construct a pumping and cooling station, as well as install underground piping in the Kakaako area.
Groundbreaking is expected in the first half of 2012 and construction is due to be completed sometime in 2013.
Students offer marketing help to isle firms
Students in Hawaii Pacific University’s graduate-level integrated marketing course will be working with three Hawaii businesses this summer to bring fresh ideas to their marketing programs.
"We’re looking for local companies that need help with their marketing," said course instructor Bob Sigall. "In the last 10 years, the class has written marketing plans for over 75 companies, including Zippy’s, Waikiki Beach Walk, Maui Brand Sugar, Wahoo’s Fish Tacos, Jimmy Buffett’s Restaurant, The Mountain Apple Company and Fisher Hawaii.
Sigall called it a "a win-win situation."
"The students get real world experience, and the companies get notebooks filled with every student’s marketing plan," Sigall said. Each student’s paper averages more than 25 pages in length.
The students not only come up with strategies, but also will create or redesign promotional materials and advertising pieces, write new slogans, design PR strategies, or suggest new niches and how to go after them. They’ll look at web marketing, pricing, sales, location, customer service, packaging, direct mail and other marketing tactics. There is no charge for companies to participate.
Companies interested in participating can contact Sigall at 847-2046 or e-mail him at Sigall@yahoo.com.
ON THE MOVE
Maui Memorial Medical Center has announced the appointment of Dr. Michael H. Dang as its cardiac surgeon, effective Feb. 14. He will also continue to see patients on Hawaii island after joining the Maui center. Dang is also a cardiac surgeon at the Queen’s Medical Center.
Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties has announced that Robert Nakagawa has joined the firm’s Leeward office. He has more than six years of experience in real estate and was a Realtor associate with Realty Group.
The Nature Conservancy has elected Dustin Sellers to chair its Corporate Council for the Environment. Sellers is president of business development and marketing at ProService Hawaii.
The Hawaii County Water Board has named Keith Okamoto deputy manager of the Department of Water Supply. He joined the department in 1996 as a licensed civil engineer.