Hawaiian Airlines’ passenger traffic rose 3.8 percent in October despite the airline filling fewer of its seats.
The state’s largest carrier said Tuesday it transported 967,377 passengers compared with 932,235 in the year-earlier period. Its load factor, or the percentage of seats filled, slipped 0.6 percentage points to 87.7 percent from 88.3 percent.
Revenue passenger miles, or one paying passenger transported one mile, increased 4.7 percent to 1.41 million from 1.35 million. Available seat miles, or one seat transported one mile, rose 5.3 percent to 1.61 million from 1.53 million.
China Air flying 306-seat plane to Honolulu
China Airlines has begun using a 306-seat Airbus A350 on its nonstop Honolulu-Taipei route.
The carrier, which began using that plane Oct. 29, flies between Honolulu and Taipei every Wednesday and Sunday. Nearly 13,000 visitors from Taiwan traveled to Hawaii from January through August.
U.S. consumer borrowing up $20.8 billion
WASHINGTON >> American consumers increased their borrowing by $20.8 billion in September. It was the largest gain in 10 months and was led by a sharp increase in borrowing for auto and student loans.
Disney ends L.A. Times ban after backlash
NEW YORK >> The Walt Disney Co. on Tuesday lifted its ban of Los Angeles Times reporters and critics from its press screenings after a widespread backlash prompted several media outlets to announce their own boycotts of Disney movies. Disney had barred the Times from its screenings after the paper published a two-part investigative series on the company’s business dealings in Anaheim, Calif.
Toyota profits on sales growth, cheap yen
TOKYO >> Toyota Motor Corp. reported Tuesday that it saw a 16 percent gain in fiscal second-quarter profit as sales grew and a cheaper yen offset higher marketing costs.
ON THE MOVE
RKT Media Hawaii has named Yasmin Dar as the company’s new executive vice president and chief operating officer. She was previously the digital media specialist for the communication team of Gov. David Ige’s administration. Dar’s experience also includes working as an evening anchor and producer at KVAL in Oregon and serving as a morning traffic reporter at KITV.
Colliers International has announced that Janna Frash is the new office leasing associate for the company’s Office Services Division. She has an extensive background in communications and marketing and worked in the private and public sectors. Prior to joining Colliers, Frash served as a marketing manager for Island Air and operated and owned a small business in Honolulu.