BUSINESS BRIEFS
Hawaiian Air passengers up 2.7%
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Hawaiian Airlines said its passenger count increased by more than 15,000 in September compared with the same month a year earlier.
The state's largest carrier said it flew a total of 595,000 customers last month, up 2.7 percent from September 2007's 579,648.
Hawaiian also said its planes were 80 percent full last month, compared with 87.9 percent in September 2007. The lower load factor came after the airline increased its passenger capacity following the shutdowns of Aloha Airlines and ATA Airlines this spring.
AIONA WILL DISCUSS CONCON ISSUES
Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona Jr. will speak to the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce Thursday on whether the state should convene a constituional convention.
Aiona led an 11-member task force of community, government and legislative officials to provide the public with information on whether to assemble a constitutional convention. He will discuss the findings of the task force and the key issues that might be addressed if a covention was convened.
Registration begins at 11:30 a.m., with lunch at noon. Cost is $25 ($20 for members).
For information about the event and location, contact Pauline Worsham at 497-4084 or pauline@pmwconsult.com.
MAKAI OCEAN PART OF OTEC DEAL
Honolulu-based Makai Ocean Engineering will participate in Lockheed Martin's $1.2 million contract to demonstrate technologies for ocean thermal energy conversion.
Lockheed said it was awarded the contract by the U.S. Department of Energy, and will demonstrate a coldwater pipe fabrication approach using fiberglass and composite materials.
"OTEC holds the promise of providing clean, base-load electricity to energy markets that today rely almost exclusively on fossil fuels," said Denise Saiki, general manager of Lockheed Martin's Undersea Systems business unit.
TICKET SALES FALL AT 'BODIES' EXHIBITS
Premier Exhibitions Inc., operator of the controversial "Bodies ... The Exhibition" exhibit at Ala Moana Center, reported that net income for the three months ended Aug. 31 fell to $900,000, in part because of lower attendance nationwide.
The company had a profit of $5.5 million in the same period a year earlier.
Atlanta-based Premier Exhibitions said overall attendance at its "Bodies" and "Titanic" exhibits was down 15 percent. The "Bodies" attendance fell even as 19 locations were operated, up from 11 a year earlier.
QANTAS LOWERS ITS FUEL SURCHARGE
Qantas is lowering its fuel surcharges on flights from Australia to Hawai'i because of recent declines in jet fuel prices.
The airline cut the one-way surcharge to $73.26 from $79.91, for bookings made on or after Oct. 9.
HOKU SCIENTIFIC TAKES OUT $5M LOAN
Hoku Scientific Inc., a Kapolei-based technology company, has entered into a $5 million loan agreement with First Hawaiian Bank to finance expenses related to its polysilicon production facility being built in Idaho, a regulatory filing shows.
Under the agreement the loan must be repaid on Jan. 1, 2009, and carries an interest rate of 5 percent.
