Mokulele Airlines began more than doubling its flights to West Maui today as strong demand for Honolulu-Kapalua service prompted the increase to seven round-trip flights a day from three.

Ron Hansen, CEO of Mokulele, said the increase was planned before larger rival Island Air announced March 22 that its last flights between Honolulu and Kapalua would be May 31. Island Air is phasing out its 37-seat Bombardier de Havilland Dash 8 aircraft because they are reaching the end of their “economic life” and bringing in 64-seat ATR 72 turboprop aircraft that will be too large to land on Kapalua West Maui Airport’s 3,000-foot runway.