Hawaiian Airlines beefs up Sydney schedule
Three additional weekly flights to Sydney will be added to Hawaiian Airlines’ daily flight schedule to accommodate increased travel demand during the spring.
The 26 additional flights from April 3 to June 1 will use a 294-seat Airbus A330-200 and add 7,644 new air seats.
The new flights will depart Honolulu on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 10:05 a.m., cross the international date line and arrive in Sydney at 5:40 p.m. the following day. The return flights will depart Sydney at 8 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and arrive in Honolulu at 8:45 a.m. the same day.
Horizon will increase cargo, handling fees
Horizon Lines announced Friday that prices will rise to ship cargo to and from Hawaii on its ships next year, two days after rival Matson Inc. announced rate hikes.
The Horizon increases are identical to Matson’s and take effect the same day, Jan. 1.
Rates will increase by $175 for each westbound container and $85 for each eastbound container.
A separate terminal handling charge will increase by $50 per westbound container and $25 per eastbound container.
‘Last Resort’ viewership keeps dwindling
With its 13-episode run almost done, ABC’s "Last Resort" lost more viewers Thursday night, according to Nielsen numbers released Friday by the network.
"Last Resort," which shoots in Hawaii, drew 5.2 million viewers to its eighth episode. Among adults 18-49, "Last Resort" drew 1 percent of the total viewing audience and 3 percent of those watching TV at the time.
ABC announced two weeks ago that it would not order additional episodes due to low ratings.
L.A.-Long Beach port strike hits fourth day
LOS ANGELES » A strike at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach entered its fourth day on Friday despite efforts to end the walkout that has idled most of the nation’s busiest cargo complex.
Seven of eight terminals in Los Angeles and three of six in Long Beach were closed to cargo container traffic as dockworkers refused to cross picket lines set up by union clerical workers who claim shippers are outsourcing their jobs.
Combined, Los Angeles and Long Beach handle 40 percent of the nation’s import trade. At least 18 cargo ships have been unable to load or unload since workers began the strike on Tuesday
However, a second ocean cargo transportation firm serving Hawaii from the West Coast ports avoided a disruption in service. Horizon Lines said Friday that arrangements were made to handle its ship, the Horizon Spirit, at a loading terminal in Los Angeles Harbor not shut down by the strike. The Sprit arrived at the harbor Thursday and is expected to set off for Honolulu today, Horizon said in a statement.
Matson Inc., Hawaii’s dominant cargo carrier, earlier said its operations aren’t affected because it previously reached a labor agreement with the union representing the clerks.
Japan OKs $10.7 billion economic stimulus
TOKYO » Japan unleashed yet another barrage of stimulus at its stagnant economy Friday as debate over how to revive growth heated up ahead of a general election widely expected to deal a severe blow to the ruling Democratic Party.
The latest stimulus package approved by the Japanese Cabinet, totaling $10.7 billion, is earmarked mainly for spending on social programs, employment creation and support for small- and medium-size enterprises. It is expected to add 0.2 percent to Japan’s economic growth rate and to help create about 80,000 jobs, the Cabinet said.
"The total size is not enough to really boost GDP, especially for early next year," said Junko Nishioka, an economist at RBS Japan Securities.
The economy shrank an annualized 3.5 percent in July-September, and many economists say they expect a further contraction in the current quarter, which would land Japan in its fifth recession in 15 years.
U.S. to sell wind energy leases off 3 states
PROVIDENCE, R.I. » The federal government plans to sell leases for wind farms off the coasts of Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Virginia, marking the first time it has sold competitive leases for wind energy on the outer continental shelf, officials said Friday.
The leases for the areas, which total more than 430 square miles, will be sold next year, the Department of Interior and its Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said.
The announcement was hailed by the conservation group Oceana, which called it a major step in developing domestic clean energy.
Escapes, Fusions recalled for engine fire risk
DETROIT » Ford Motor Co. said Friday it is recalling more than 89,000 new Escape SUVs and Fusion sedans because the engines can overheat and cause fires. The recall affects vehicles from the 2013 model year with 1.6-liter engines that were sold in the U.S. and Canada, the company said.
Ford says it’s working on a fix and is asking owners to contact dealers, who will arrange for loaner cars at no charge until the repairs are made. The company says the engines can catch fire when they overheat and fluids leak onto hot parts.
On the Move
Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties has announced the following new members to NATO, its New Agent Training Office:
>> June Wanju Choi was previously self-employed.
>> Lynn Young Soldat was previously working in the HawaiianMiles marketing department for Hawaiian Airlines.
>> Christopher L.K. Ulu Jr. was previously the owner/operator of StorKeeper Self Storage and served in the Hawaii Air National Guard.
La Pietra-Hawaii School for Girls has announced Sterling Q.L. Yee as its chief operating officer. He was previously a broadband specialist with Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s Hawaii Broadband Initiative and worked as an independent management consultant in strategic planning and business development.
