Onus on carriers to compete with Hawaiian Air

Interisland airfare might be too high for many residents but there probably is little the state can do to encourage more competition, said the Hawaii Senate’s Transportation Committee chairwoman.

The Kauai County Council last month passed a resolution asking the state to tackle the airfare issue by offering incentives for other major companies to compete with Hawaiian Airlines.

Sen. Lorraine Inouye, who heads the committee, said she sympathizes with the measure but noted that increasing competition largely is in the hands of the carriers.

“It’s up to the airlines to see if they would want to travel and take part in interisland service,” said Inouye, D-Hilo, Hamakua, Kohala. “Granted, we should all be concerned about the high fares.”

Hawaiian Airlines has been the only major interisland carrier in the state since 2008, when Aloha Airlines went out of business.

With taxes and fees, a weekend round-trip ticket from Hilo to Honolulu can range from $184 to $422, according to a recent online search. Prices vary depending on availability.

In its written response to the Kauai County Council, Hawaiian Airlines said the average Neighbor Island base rates have increased 30 percent from 2004 to 2014.

The company, citing U.S. Department of Transportation data, said its average Hilo to Honolulu rate for 2014 was $81, which it says is lower than ticket prices for flights of similar distances on the mainland.

But that might provide little comfort for residents in a state where flying is the only mode of transportation between islands and rates quickly can become cost-prohibitive for families.

Inouye said airfare is a major issue for constituents and she thinks the state can help by lobbying for breaks on federal taxes on interisland flights and even considering another go at a ferry system after the demise of the Superferry.

The Superferry ran from 2007-09 and shut down after a judge ruled it was unconstitutional to allow it to operate without a full environmental review.

Inouye said a ferry system could make travel more cost-effective for families, and she expects the issue to come up again next legislative session.

“It hasn’t died yet,” she said. “We are still talking about bringing back the Superferry.”

Lawmakers last session passed a resolution asking the state to consider modeling a state-run ferry system after Washington state, which operates the largest public ferry fleet in the nation.

So far, it appears the state Department of Transportation hasn’t given it a closer look.

Tim Sakahara, DOT spokesman, said legislators didn’t provide funding to study the feasibility of such a system.

For the time being, it doesn’t appear the Hawaii County Council plans to take up the airfare issue, but Puna Councilman Greggor Ilagan said he is talking with Hawaiian Airlines officials about ways to provide some relief, particularly for families.

He said the airline does provide some assistance programs but they might need to be better advertised or expanded.

“I’m trying to figure out … what’s logical and what can they administer” without too much cost, Ilagan said.

Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune -herald.com.