Temporary parking ban comes to Lanikai’s rescue

People who treasure the public access to Hawaii’s shoreline — and isn’t that all of us? — surely recoiled a bit at the news of parking restrictions on streets adjacent to the lovely and popular Lanikai Beach.

But this step, taken in advance of the President’s Day holiday weekend, was a necessary one, as anyone who ventured onto the streets looping around Lanikai over the Christmas holiday would have to admit.

An excessive amount of traffic flooded in that day, perhaps the result of looky-loos in Kailua for the yearly Obama visit, but more likely the simple increase in area tourism. In any case, it was virtually impossible to get in or out, an intolerable condition for any residential area.

So, yes, banning right-side parking will cut vehicle access by half, but if there’s traffic sanity in the deal, that’s a reasonable price to pay.

Airlines use higher fares to cope with demand

Airfares stubbornly refuse to decline even with low fuel costs; it’s supply-and-demand theory in action. People yearn to travel more than ever, given that cheaper gas bills let them budget more money to do so, and airlines provide only so many seats.

Here in Hawaii, with so little competition in interisland travel, we’re stuck with the vague hope that economist Paul Brewbaker is right: There could be competition, via expanded isle travel routes, from carriers such as Alaska Air — or Virgin America and Southwest Airlines, who could be considering joining the game.

Let’s root for them. And next time we want to complain about the number of tourists coming, we’ll remember: Exclusivity as a destination exacts a price.