Hawaii Public Radio reported that three airlines — Mokulele Airlines, Pacific Air Charters, and Cape Air — are competing for a U.S. Department of Transportation Essential Air Service subsidy to maintain scheduled flights between Lānaʻi and Maui/Honolulu. The competition follows the expiration of Mokulele’s current two-year EAS contract, which was triggered when the airline said it could no longer serve the route profitably without federal support.
- Mokulele Airlines, Pacific Air Charters, and Cape Air have all filed proposals for the Essential Air Service (EAS) subsidy covering Lānaʻi routes.
- Mokulele previously served Lānaʻi without a subsidy but notified USDOT in late 2023 that rising operating costs made the route unprofitable, prompting the federal bidding process.
- Mokulele’s current two-year EAS contract is set to expire this year.
- All three airlines are proposing daily round trips between Lānaʻi and both Honolulu and Maui.
- Mokulele is requesting nearly $20 million for a four-year contract; Pacific Air Charters is asking for $6.5–$7 million for two years; Cape Air is requesting over $14.5 million for its proposed term.
- Lānaʻi Air also flies to the island but residents consider those flights too expensive.
- Maui County Councilmember Gabe Johnson of Lānaʻi emphasized that residents rely on the flights for medical appointments and essential travel, not tourism.
Sources
- Hawaii Public Radio: 3 airlines compete for federal subsidy to serve the Lānaʻi community
- Hawaii Public Radio: 3 airlines compete for federal subsidy to serve the Lānaʻi community
Share this article
