Mokulele to launch daily Kahului-Hana flights

Mokulele Airlines, which has been seeking ways to expand its operations in the wake of growing interisland competition, is introducing two daily flights between Kahului and Hana airports.

The new service is offered in partnership with Travaasa Experiential Resorts.

Flights will begin Oct. 1 on the Kona-based airline’s nine-seat Cessna Grand Caravan 208B turboprop aircraft.

"A drive from Kahului to Hana can take anywhere between 90 minutes to two hours, while by air, it will only take about 20 minutes," said Sen. J. Kalani English (D, East Maui-Lanai-Molokai), who lives in Hana and serves as chairman of the Hawaii State Senate Committee on Transportation.

English said he has worked for years to restore air service to the area and called the flights "a lifeline for residents living in Hana."

"Essential services would also become more efficient, such as mail and newspaper delivery," he said. "Hana Medical Center, Hana School, state and county government would benefit from this new venture as well."

The Travaasa Experiential Resorts brand was introduced to Hawaii in June 2011 when the owner of the Hotel Hana-Maui renamed it Travaasa Hana, Maui. It is one of two Travaasa properties operated by Denver-based Green Tea LLC. The other hotel is the Tra­vaasa Austin, which opened in May 2011 near Austin, Texas.

Green Tea, a unit of privately held Amstar Group, said it plans additional properties under the Tra­vaasa brand in the future.

"We know there are a lot of people who drive there every day who prefer to fly," Mokulele Airlines CEO Ron Hansen said. "We think there’s a real market there for tourists who want to go out there but hear the horror stories about the drive so they don’t want to try it."

Mokulele’s one-way fare, including taxes and fees, is $59.74 each way. Travaasa is offering free flights for guests who book a three-night Travaasa package.

Pacific Wings, which also flies Cessna Grand Caravans, currently is the only airline with scheduled daily flights between the two cities. Pacific Wings’ one-way fare is $491.35.

Hansen calls the deal with Travaasa a win-win partnership.

"If there were more options to come out there (to Hana), they believe it will increase their business," he said of Travaasa. "So it’s a joint effort for both of us to benefit. We hope to fill up seats with people staying at the hotel or with people just coming out for the day. There’s a lot of things to see over there."

Travaasa Hana, Maui has 47 plantation-style cottages, 23 low-rise garden-view suites and four condominiums.

Chris Manning, co-founder and president of Travaasa Experiential Resorts, said the flights also will be valuable for those who are not hotel guests. "These flights give residents, government workers and business people an efficient option to get to and from Hana."

The morning flight will depart Kahului Airport at 11:19 a.m. and arrive at Hana Airport at 11:40 a.m. It departs Hana at noon and returns to Kahului at 12:21 p.m. The afternoon flight departs Kahului at 4:14 p.m. and arrives in Hana at 4:35 p.m. It leaves Hana at 4:55 p.m. and arrives in Kahului at 5:16 p.m. A restored Packard jitney operated by Travaasa will meet both flights and shuttle passengers the four miles to the hotel.

Mokulele, which has a fleet of five nine-seat Caravans, is scheduled to receive its sixth by the time that the Kahului-Hana service begins, Hansen said.

The airline was purchased by Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Transpac Aviation in November 2011 from Mesa Air Group Inc., operator of the former go!Mokulele. Go!Mokulele has since changed its name to simply go!, but still has a code-share with Mokulele Airlines that enables the airlines to sell each other’s tickets.