Mokulele Airlines has been given the all-clear to begin daily interisland service early next year from Kalaeloa Airport in Leeward Oahu to Molokai, Lanai and Maui.
The flights from the former Barbers Point Naval Air Station will mark the first commercial airline service from any Oahu airport besides Honolulu Airport.
Mokulele received unanimous approval Wednesday night by the nine-person Makakilo/Kapolei/Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board during a meeting at Kapolei High School attended by about 50 people.
"We’re very pleased that the community is willing to accept us into that airport, and we see it as being a great service to the community and a great opportunity for Mokulele," said Ron Hansen, CEO of the airline.
No U.S. Department of Transportation approval is required because it is a domestic route and is not required as part of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, U.S. DOT spokesman Bill Mosley said Friday. New international routes would need approval, he added.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said Kalaeloa Airport, also known as John Rodgers Field, is not a certified airport, but doesn’t have to be because Mokulele will be flying aircraft — turboprop Cessna Grand Caravans — that seat nine passengers or less. He said Mokulele would just need to update its operations specifications to include any new airports it will serve.
State DOT spokeswoman Caroline Sluyter called Mokulele’s proposal "preliminary" and said it was too early for the agency to comment.
Ford Fuchigami, deputy director of airports for the state Department of Transportation, appeared at the neighborhood board’s transportation committee meeting a month earlier but was traveling on business this week and was not present at Wednesday’s meeting. Fuchigami could not be reached for comment.
Kona-based Mokulele upgraded the age of its fleet with the purchase this year of nine new Caravans for approximately $20 million, and Hansen said he is hoping to begin Kalaeloa service in the first quarter.
"There are improvements that have to be made to the terminal before we can operate," he said. "That’s a requirement that we put in place in regards to the state, and as far as I understand, they’re agreeable to do it. It’s out of date as far as appearance goes because it hasn’t been used in 15 years. It’s just paint and floor covering and strictly cosmetic stuff."
He said the number of flights a day and the fares will be determined in the next few weeks when Mokulele releases its schedule. Besides Molokai and Lanai, Hansen said Mokulele will definitely fly to Kahului on Maui with Kapalua on the west side of the island an additional possibility.
Neighborhood Board Chairwoman Evelyn Souza said community members are supportive of having air service in the growing West Oahu region where they wouldn’t have to battle traffic congestion heading into Honolulu Airport.
"This is in the infancy," she said. "As far as the community and the neighborhood board, they’re in favor of it because not only will the airport be used wisely, but there are other trickle-down things that could be derived from that, such as taxi services (because of the lack of rental cars in the area), or passengers could get on the planes from the resorts in the area — Disney and the Marriott people out at Ko Olina."
She said the committee was told that Mokulele would hire people for approximately 12 new positions that would be on top of the company’s 150-person payroll.
"Possibly people in the 96707 district would have jobs," she said. "It would be nice to just get people from our area to get jobs. We think it’s an economic opportunity."
The naval air station, which closed July 1, 1999, is now used by the U.S. Coast Guard as well as other military aircraft and private planes.
