Hawaiian Airlines’ passenger traffic rose 3.4 percent in November as the carrier provided more seats systemwide than at the same time a year ago.

The state’s largest airline said Monday it transported 845,276 people compared with 817,583 in the year-earlier period. Its load factor, or percentage of seats filled, edged up 0.7 percentage point to 81.0 percent from 80.3 percent.

Revenue passenger miles, or one paying passenger transported one mile, increased 2.8 percent to 1.15 million from 1.11 million. Available seat miles, or one seat transported one mile, gained 1.9 percent to 1.41 million from 1.39 million.

Island Air offers interisland coupons

Island Air said Monday it is introducing an Island Travel Pak that will offer passengers two different interisland coupon packages to fit the needs of both leisure and business travelers.

For leisure travelers the Holoholo package provides six one-way coupons for an introductory price of $429. For business travelers the Ka ‘Elele package provides 20 one-way coupons for an introductory price of $1,499. There are no minimum stays or blackout dates for both packages. Travel Paks are nonrefundable, and coupons are valid for 12 months from date of purchase.

To purchase a Travel Pak, customers must be enrolled in Island Air’s Island Miles frequent-flier program. To become an Island Miles member, visit www.islandair.com/island-miles. For each Travel Pak purchased, members will receive 500 Island Miles for each segment traveled, which can be redeemed for interisland travel on Island Air as well as mainland or international flights on United Airlines, a frequent-flier partner.

For more information, visit www.islandair.com or call 800-652-6541.

Isle solar firm gets $1 million award

Hawaii-based startup SafeConnect Solar said Monday it has been awarded nearly $1 million by the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Incubator program. The award will enable SafeConnect to commercialize its residential solar hardware, which has built-in safety functionality.

“The ($999,893) award recognizes the potential of SafeConnect’s IP (intellectual property) to drive the all-in installed cost of residential solar systems below $2 per watt,” SafeConnect Chief Operating Officer Zachary McNish said. “SafeConnect’s new hardware-based approach to PV safety can unlock the cost reductions needed to democratize residential solar and allow the sector to continue growing despite the sunset of the federal residential investment tax credit at the end of 2016.”

Regulators move to stop Staples deal

NEW YORK>> The Federal Trade Commission said Monday that it is seeking to block the proposed combination of Staples and Office Depot because the deal would reduce competition in the office supplies market. The companies said they plan to fight to preserve the deal.

The FTC said corporations rely on Staples and Office Depot to buy pens, paper clips and other supplies at low prices. A deal between Staples and Office Depot would cut competition and lead to higher prices, the FTC said. The decision comes 10 months after Staples offered to buy rival Office Depot for $6.3 billion.

Staples and Office Depot plan to show that the FTC’s decision is based on “a flawed analysis and misunderstanding” of the competitive landscape the companies deal with. The pair argue that competition has become even tougher since Office Depot and OfficeMax merged in 2013 and that the FTC is contradicting itself because it said that the office supply market was highly competitive two years ago.

U.S. consumer credit rose $16B in October

WASHINGTON >> U.S. consumers borrowed more heavily for auto and student loans in October, taking out debt that helps them find jobs and commute to work.

The Federal Reserve said Monday that consumer borrowing rose $16 billion in October to $3.5 trillion. But the pace of borrowing decelerated sharply from the $28.5 billion increase in September.

Nearly all of the October gain came from the category that covers auto and student loans, while credit card borrowing edged up a mere $200 million. The increase suggests that more Americans are borrowing to improve their educational skills and upgrade their cars and trucks, instead of relying on debt to fund their daily shopping and emergency expenses.

Dole investors to get about $170 million

Billionaire Dole Food Co. Chief Executive Officer David Murdock was accused of getting the 164-year-old food company on the cheap when he took it private in 2013 for $1.21billion. Now it’s costing him about $170 million more to settle claims he shortchanged investors.

Murdock on Monday accepted a judge’s award of $148 million to investors who were stiffed in the buyout to resolve the case, according to papers filed in Delaware Chancery Court.The settlement’s value will be pushed to about $170 million by interest charges.

Murdock, who previously owned 98 percent of Lanai, sold the island to billionaire Larry Ellison in 2012 for a reported $300 million.

ON THE MOVE:

Hawaii National Bank has hired Warren Watanabe as a residential mortgage sales manager. He has 15 years of residential mortgage experience and was previously serving as anexecutive loan officer and mortgage consultant for various lenders and banks in Hawaii.

The University of Hawaii Foundation has announced the following promotions:

>> Elaine Evans to director of development for the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine. She joined the UH Foundation in 2011 as director of development andalumni engagement at JABSOM. Prior to joining UH Foundation, Evans served as director of development for Hawaii Theatre Center.

>> Linh Hoang Poe to senior director of development for Kapiolani Community College. She joined the UH Foundation in 2003. Poe previously served as a director of developmentfor Kapiolani Community College, as well as associate director of the office of estate and gift planning at the UH Foundation and fiscal services support manager.

SHIP AHOY!

Today’s ship arrivals and departures:

HONOLULU HARBOR