Hawaiian to speed screening for military

Hawaiian Airlines is expanding its participation in the Transportation Security Administration Pre-Check expedited screening program to all U.S. Armed Forces service members, including those serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, Reserves and National Guard.

As part of the expanded program, all active duty service men and women beginning today that present their Common Access Card (CAC) will now be able to clear security without removing their shoes, coats, belts, liquids or laptop computers for official or leisure travel. The Department of Defense identification number will be used as their Known Traveler Number (KTN). To ensure that all military members traveling on Hawaiian Airlines can take advantage of the program, it is important to know that:

» The traveler’s name on the reservation needs to match exactly with the name on their CAC card. For service members who are also a member of the airline’s loyalty program, the name on their HawaiianMiles membership must match exactly with that name on their CAC card;

» When booking travel on www.hawaiianair.com or by calling reservations, the CAC number should be added to the KTN field on their itinerary or included at the time of check-in at the airport kiosk;

» For unit movements booked via travel agencies, service members should individually ensure that their CAC card number is included in their itinerary.

Weekly jobless claims hit 9-month high

WASHINGTON » The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits rose 10,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 379,000, the highest since March. The gain may reflect volatility around the Thanksgiving holiday. The Labor Department said Thursday the less volatile four-week average rose 13,250 to 343,250, the second straight increase.

Applications are a proxy for layoffs. Last month, they fell to nearly the lowest level in six years, as companies cut fewer jobs. But two weeks ago, they surged 64,000 to 369,000.

Economists dismissed that spike, saying it likely reflected a Thanksgiving holiday that fell later in the month. That can distort the government’s seasonal adjustments. But if the trend continues it would be a troubling sign of rising layoffs.

Sales of existing homes decline again

WASHINGTON » The number of people who bought existing U.S. homes in November declined for the third straight month. Higher mortgage rates have made buying a house more expensive, while the lingering effect of the October government shutdown might have deterred some sales.

Re-sales fell 4.3 percent to an annual rate of 4.90 million, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. That was the weakest pace since December 2012 and the first time since April that the pace has slipped below 5 million.

Still, the Realtors’ group predicts that total sales this year will be 5.1 million. That would be the strongest since 2007, when the housing bubble burst. But it’s still below the 5.5 million generally associated with healthy housing markets.

McDonald’s Japan plans store closures

McDonald’s Holdings Co. Japan Ltd. dropped the most in four months in Tokyo trading today after announcing store closings and cutting its full-year profit forecast by more than half.

McDonald’s Japan fell as much as 2.4 percent to Yen2,705, headed for the biggest loss since Aug. 14. The Japan business of the world’s largest fast-food chain plans to shut 74 outlets in the country, where it had 3,170 stores at the end of October, as customer numbers were below expectations. The chain also cut its operating profit forecast by 43 percent. In April, McDonald’s Japan said it will raise burger prices by as much as 25 percent, its first increase in Japan since 2008, as part of a plan to boost profitability.

ON THE MOVE

Kaiser Permanente has named Leanne Hunstock as chief operating officer, care delivery and vice president of quality, beginning Jan. 6. She served as COO and chief nursing officer at Moanalua Medical Center from 2008 to 2010. Hunstock has 35 years of experience in health care.

Hawaiian Airlines has promoted Vicki Nakata to vice president of loyalty and travel products. She has served as a managing director, partnerships and ancillary revenue since 2011. Before joining Hawaiian Airlines, Nakata was a principal, manager and consultant at Bain & Co. and worked with various airline, consumer, technology and industrial companies in Los Angeles, Boston, Hong Kong and Sydney.