HTA OKs $5M to charter planes for stranded travelers (Hawai'i)

[The Sushi Bandit]

Source: Honolulu Advertiser

Looking to help some 9,000 ATA Airlines passengers stranded in Hawaii by the carrier's sudden shutdown, the Hawai'i Tourism Authority today approved tapping a $5 million emergency fund to help hire charter flights to get people home.


The state tourism agency scheduled the emergency meeting to respond to the double blows of two airlines shutting down service to Hawai'i in the same week — ATA and Aloha Airlines.

The April 2 shutdown hit hard because ATA ran 12 daily flights to Los Angeles, Oakland, Calif., Phoenix and Las Vegas.

Rex Johnson, president and CEO of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, said the announcement of ATA's closing on the heels of Aloha meant quick action was needed to help stranded passengers.

"Hawai'i's reputation is on the line," Johnson said."We needed to get something done."



Read more: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080404/BREAKING03/80404045

[dkf]

1. I'm beginning to realize that trading a strictly interisland

firm for Aloha which also did mainland flights is going to be bad indeed. That doesn't even include how the employees feel.

I'm sorry I didn't realize it earlier. Not that I ever flew Go anyway.

[chicagodemoldskool]

2. victims of high fuel prices

more trickle down economics. I feel bad for the folks that lost their jobs. Is there relief for them? I want to know the salaries of the execs!

[Grinchie]

3. I thought it was interesting that Yucaipa is involved with Aloha Airlines

Isn't Yucaipa the source of money for the Clintons?

On another note, I remember speaking with a memeber of the Aloha Airline Air Cargo unit in 2006. Even after he had been given a 15% pay reduction, along with reduced hours, he said that Aloha Airline was charging only .05 cents a pound to ship Big Island Papaya to Japan.

5 CENTS A POUND! If you ask me, that sound like a bunch a malarky. They would rather starve people and remove medical benefits than charge the toxic papaya industry rates that make sense.
And yes, Papaya industry is one of the worst GMO laced, fungicide laden, fertilizer hungry, forest destroying crop on the planet.

The Papaya returns absolutely nothing to the soil, and requires 7 years of fallow for the diseases it brings in during the Papaya crop. After the cropping, the farmers do nothing to prevent invasive plants from taking over what was once a vibrant diverse forest.

Hundreds of acres of native forest in Hawaii are destroyed for this useless crop. Oh wait, it's a cash crop, so it must be good. Trouble is, Papaya's lose their flavor after the 2nd one.

[AP]

4. Did a papaya kill your puppy?

Man, you're angry at papayas!