China-Hawaii charter flights planned

China Youth Travel Services Holding, a leading tour operator in China, has announced its intent to partner with China Eastern to offer charter flights to Hawaii for the Chinese New Year.

The CYTS charters, which will run Jan. 30 to Feb. 4, will link Beijing, Shanghai and Honolulu if given U.S. Department of Transportation approval. Gov. Linda Lingle, who leaves office on Monday, sent a letter to U.S. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood on Thursday in support of China Eastern’s application for charter service to Honolulu.

"The special flights over the Chinese New Year holiday will help in our continuing efforts to increase demand for Chinese visitors to Hawaii," said Lingle, who worked on improving U.S. visa restrictions for Chinese travelers and airline access during the four trips that she made to China while in office.

Despite her efforts, Lingle leaves office without having established direct air service between Hawaii and China.

Aloha Air Cargo expands fleet

Hawaii’s largest interisland air cargo company, Aloha Air Cargo, has purchased two new planes to diversify its fleet.

The company has bought two Saab 340 aircraft it anticipates will be put into service between April and June. The new turboprop planes represent a 15 percent increase in the carrying capacity of Aloha Air’s fleet presently made up of four Boeing 737-200 jets. Each Saab plane has one-third the cargo capacity of a 737-200.

Aloha Air said the addition will provide more flight flexibility and efficiency. Aloha Air carries close to 70 percent of interisland air freight. The company was created in 2008 though the purchase of cargo operations of Aloha Airlines by Seattle-based Saltchuk Resources Inc., which owns interisland ocean cargo transportation firms Young Bros. and Hawaiian Tug & Barge.

Solar company moves to penthouse

Solar energy company RevoluSun has moved into a 5,304 square-foot penthouse space at the so-called Pan Am Building at 1600 Kapiolani Blvd.

"We are growing rapidly and need a larger space to accommodate our ever-expanding team of solar energy design and development experts and also to serve as a meeting and education center for our residential and commercial clients and partners," said Todd Georgopapadakos, company principal.

The company will begin building its new corporate headquarters in January and also will use the space to conduct free seminars for the public.

China tightens fiscal policy

BEIJING » China’s leadership ordered a shift from easy credit to a "prudent monetary policy" yesterday as Beijing steps up its fight against inflation and tries to guide rapid growth to a sustainable level.

The announcement reinforces a change in direction charted this year of modest tightening after the government and banks flooded the economy with easy money to effectively ward off the global economic crisis in 2009.

The ruling Communist Party’s top body, the Politburo, decided to "implement an active fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy" in 2011, said a Cabinet statement.

Beijing raised interest rates Oct. 19, highlighting its divergence from the United States and other major economies, which are trying to boost growth.

On the Move

» Avalon Commercial has named Jared Ikeda as its vice president. He was previously the company’s broker-in-charge and launched Avalon Commercial’s property management division for multifamily properties throughout Hawaii in 2008.

» Kauai Beach Resort has named Matthew Pickett as its resort manager for the 350-room property. His experience includes working with Halekulani and Waikiki Parc Hotels for five years; being restaurant manager at Orchids; and holding management positions at Hawai’i Convention Center, Hilton Hawaiian Village, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts and Grand Wailea.

» Queen Liliuokalani Trust has announced Meagan Yoneshige as manager for finance. She was previously an account manager for AON Insurance Managers and worked for KMH LLP, a Honolulu-based accounting firm.

» USGBC has awarded the McLellan residence in Kula, Maui, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver certification. The residence is the first LEED-certified home designed and constructed by Kamaaina Homes LLC.