Hawaiian Air supporters lobby DOT for Haneda-Kona service

Hawaiian Airlines submitted 175 letters of support Thursday to the U.S. Department of Transportation for a proposed daily nonstop route between Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport and Kona on Hawaii island.

The state’s largest carrier, which applied for the route last month, said it could begin service around March 15 with its 294-seat Airbus A330-200 aircraft if it is awarded the slot.

The slot for Haneda service was originally awarded to Delta Air Lines in 2010 for service from Detroit, but Delta is suspending that route at the end of this month and has asked that the slot be reallocated to Seattle. The DOT reopened the slot for bidding to determine whether it should allow Delta a new city pairing or whether there is a better alternative use.

Besides Delta’s proposed Seattle service, Hawaiian is competing for the Haneda slot against American Airlines, which is seeking a Los Angeles route, and United Airlines, which wants service to San Francisco.

Hawaii island has been without scheduled flights from Japan since Japan Airlines ended service on Oct. 29, 2010, from Narita International Airport.

Supporters who submitted letters included Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii island Mayor Billy Kenoi and George Applegate, executive director of the Big Island Visitors Bureau.

"Kona is the second-largest travel market between Japan and the U.S. without a nonstop flight, making it the most underserved market of the four gateways being proposed to the U.S. Department of Transportation," Abercrombie wrote.

He said that even without nonstop service, Kona has more visitors who originate in Japan than 12 existing markets with nonstop service to Tokyo.

Applegate noted in his letter that gaining more air seats is the key to bringing prosperity back to Hawaii island.

"Even as the other major Hawaiian Islands see recovery, Hawaii Island continues to underperform, with hotel occupancy averaging around 60 percent. Many workers have been laid off at hotels, attractions, in retail stores and restaurants. … We unfortunately lead the state in unemployment at a rate of almost 10 percent."

Hawaiian was awarded one of four Haneda slots offered to U.S. carriers in 2010 and used it for service to Hono­lulu. Hawaiian had sought two Hono­lulu slots. But the DOT gave Delta slots for Los Angeles and Detroit, and American the other slot for John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

If approved, this would be Hawaiian’s fifth Japan route and fourth daily nonstop between Japan and Hawaii. The airline already operates daily service to Hono­lulu from Tokyo, Osaka and Fuku­oka, and will begin service to Sapporo three times a week beginning Oct. 30.