Mokulele Airlines said Thursday it will celebrate Memorial Day weekend by offering free standby flights to U.S. active armed-service members dressed in uniform and one guest from any of their nine airports statewide. Applicable taxes and fees will apply to the military for the free promotion.
“Being a veteran myself, I have great admiration and appreciation for all the members of our armed services,” Mokulele CEO Ron Hansen said. “That’s why to thank the military for their services we’re inviting them to try a little of ours free of charge from May 27 to May 30.”
In addition to the free standby flights for people in uniform, anyone with a valid military ID will receive 10 percent off the published fare and two free checked bags when they use the promo code SALUTE on mokulele.com. The offer is valid for travel through Jan. 31 to allow military members to island hop over the New Year’s holiday.
Jobless aid claims hit 3-month high
WASHINGTON >> The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week to the highest level since February 2015, more sobering news for the labor market after a disappointing April jobs report.
The Labor Department reported Thursday that applications for jobless aid rose by 20,000 to a seasonally adjusted 294,000. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, rose by 10,250 to 268,250, the highest in nearly three months.
Jobless claims are a proxy for layoffs. Despite last week’s increase, they remain low. They have come in below 300,000 for 62 straight weeks, the longest streak since 1973.
Walmart cuts delivery service to 2 days
NEW YORK >> Walmart is sharpening its attack on Amazon.com.
The world’s largest retailer is trimming its free-shipping pilot program to two days from three, and it’s cutting a dollar off the membership price. Membership is now $49 per year.
The Bentonville, Ark., company began testing the new service last year in answer to Amazon Prime’s two-day shipping, a big part of its domination of the retail sector.
Amazon membership costs $99 a year, which comes with a bewildering array of perks, including household product subscriptions, one- and two-hour Prime Now delivery, streaming music and video, photo storage and more.
Solar developer revenue jumps 99%
San Francisco-based Sunrun Inc., one of the largest residential solar companies in Hawaii, reported a first-quarter profit as revenue jumped 99 percent despite exiting one of its major markets in Nevada.
Net income was $13.1 million, or 13 cents a share, compared with a loss of $18 million, or 74 cents, a year earlier, the company said Thursday. Revenue rose more than expected to $98.7 million.
Sunrun installations rose 63 percent to 60 megawatts during the quarter. The increase happened even following the loss of customers in Nevada after the state eliminated a key incentive for solar.
First Hawaiian Bank has promoted Ralph Mesick to executive vice president and chief risk officer and appointed him to the bank’s senior management and credit committees. Mesick succeeds Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer Mitchell Nishimoto, who will lead the bank’s Retail Banking Group following the retirement of Vice Chairman and Chief Banking Officer Ray Ono. The moves by Nishimoto and Ono were announced earlier this week. Mesick has more than 30 years of banking experience in the areas of risk, commercial real estate lending, private banking and wealth management.
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Hawaiian Telcom employees raised $148,403 in 2015 for Hawaii’s four United Way organizations. Contributions were made to Aloha United Way on Oahu, Hawaii Island United Way, Kauai United Way and Maui United Way. Hawaiian Telcom also was honored as a recipient of Aloha United Way’s Spirit of Community Award.
