Out-of-the-way airport causing missed flights
Inter-island carrier Mokulele Airlines says its passengers are missing flights due to the lack of road signage to help them find a little-known Hawaii airport.
Mokulele began serving Kalaeloa Airport in July with three daily roundtrips to Kahului, Maui, but has suffered a high proportion of no-shows as passengers are getting lost on the way.
It became the first commercial carrier to use the west Oahu airport that was once a naval air station.
CEO Ron Hansen said there are no signs on the H-1 freeway and motorists have to negotiate a series of turns through some rural areas to get to the airport without any help.
"We’ve had a lot of no-shows because people miss the flight because they can’t find the airport," Hansen said.
He said the airline has continually requested to the state Department of Transportation that road signs be placed along the route.
"We’ve asked and asked and asked and we’ve even put up little signs ourselves — like campaign signs— but the community takes them down because they’re not approved."
"We invest a lot of money in these flights — a considerable amount of money — and it’s like we’re playing with one hand tied behind our back," he added.
The transportation department is working with various agencies to get signs installed quickly said deputy director of airports Ross Higashi.
Despite the setback, Mokulele wants to expand services at the out-of-the-way airport.
Beginning next week, it will add three daily flights to Hoolehua, Molokai, and two round trips a day to Kapalua, Maui, according to a report by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
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