J. Parker Erkmann 

T: + l 202 776 2036 

perkmann@cooley .com 

January 20, 2015 

Docket Operations and Media Management 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

BY HAND DELIVERY & REGULATIONS.GOV 

West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

RE: Support for Application of Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.'s to Serve Kona International 

Airport (Docket DOT -OST -201 0-0018) 

Enclosed please find 13 letters of support from various business entities expressing their 

strong support for the proposal of Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. ("Hawaiian") to initiate service between 

Kona International Airport ("Kona") and Tokyo's Haneda Airport ("Haneda"). These supporters 

include, among many others, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace 

Workers Union representing 1800 Hawaiian employees; the Kona-Kohala Chamber of 

Commerce representing more than 500 members; and the Hawai'i Island Chamber of 

Commerce representing 270 businesses and over 600 members. These letters recognize the 

significant economic and public interest benefits of Hawaiian's application. 

Also enclosed is an example of more than 800 letters from citizens and business leaders 

expressing their support for Hawaiian's proposed Kona-Haneda service. 

Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to let me know. 

Sincerely, 

/w4_~ 

J. Parker Erkmann 

Counsel for Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. 

JPE:ec 

Enclosures 

113319607 

1299 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW, SUITE 700, WASHINGTON, DC 20004-2400 T: (202) 842-7800 F: (202) 842-7899 WWW.COOLEY.COM 
LLP 

Docket Operations and Media Management 

January 20, 2015 

Page Two 

Hawaiian Airlines Support Letter 

-Index1. Airline Employees Lodge 1979 

2. Aston Hotels & Resorts 

3. Avis Budge Group 

4. Courtyard Marriott 

5. Four Seasons Resort 

6. Hawai'i Construction Alliance 

7. Hawai'i Island Chamber of Commerce 

8. Hilton Waikoloa Village 

9. Hilton Worldwide 

10. Hilton Worldwide 

11. KTA Super Stores 

12. Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce 

13. Starwood Hotels and Resorts 

1299 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW, SUITE 700, WASHINGTON, DC 20004-2400 T: (202) 842-7800 F: (202) 842-7899 WWW.COOLEY.COM 
LLP 

Docket Operations and Media Management 

January 20, 2015 

Page Three 

Date 

Friends of Hawaiian Airlines Hawaiian Airlines HI 96820-0008 

DOT-OST-2010-0018 Friends of Hawaiian Airlines, 

The Honorable Anthony Foxx 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

I am writing to strongly support Hawaiian Airlines' application to provide daily nonstop service 

between Tokyo International Airport at Haneda and Kona International Airport on Hawai'i Island. 

This route would provide significant public interest benefit to the economy of Hawai'i and, by 

extension, the economy of the United States. The Hawai'i Tourism Authority estimates daily 

service using a 294-seat A330 aircraft will bring nearly 92,000 visitors to Kona every year, 

supporting a total of 1 ,638 jobs. Hawaiian Airlines calculates that 39,000 of those visitors will be 

additional visitors to the state, generating 1,151 new jobs, $65 million in new direct spending 

and $117 million in totally new sales. 

The Japanese people have a great affection for Hawai'i, and Kona in particular. Providing a 

nonstop option to Hawai'i Island would be commercially successful and a wonderful use of this 

slot pair. 

Hawaiian Airlines' application has clear and compelling public benefits and we urge you to 

approve it. 

Sincerely, 

1299 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW, SUITE 700, WASHINGTON, DC 20004-2400 T: (202) 842-7800 F: (202) 842-7899 WWW.COOLEY.COM 
llP 

Docket Operations and Media Management 

January 20, 2015 

Page Four 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 

I hereby certify that a copy of the foregoing Consolidated Reply of Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. 

was served this 201

h day of January 2015 via email transmission or U.S. mail on the following: 

megan.lawrence@alaskaair. com 

Jeremy. Ross@alaskaair. com 

kyle.levine@alaskaair. com 

d heffernan@cozen. com 

abigail.donovan@aa.com 

francis.heil@aa.com 

howard. kass@aa. com 

robert.wirick@aa.com 

sascha. vanderbellen@delta. com 

chris.walker@delta.com 

dan. weiss@united. com 

Thomas.bolling@united.com 

steve. morrissey@united. com 

gmurphy@crowell.com 

englets@state.gov 

finstonma@state.gov 

urskr@state.gov 

cristinasa@state.gov 

info@airlineinfo.com 

Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae 

Embassy of Japan 

2520 Massachusetts Ave., NW 

Washington, DC 20008 

charles.hunnicutt@thompsonhine.com 

patricia.snyder@thompsonhine.com 

seth. waxman@wilmerhale. com 

sseiden@crowell. com 

robert.finamore@dot.gov 

brett. kruger@dot.gov 

paul.gretch@dot.gov 

todd. homan@dot.gov 

brian.hedberg@dot.gov 

peter.irvine@dot.gov 

john.s.duncan@faa.gov 

glindsey@lawa.org 

ejames@jamhoff.com 

ishiwata. k@portseattle. org 

safora. i@portseattle. org 

Mike. Donatelli@alpa. org 

,, 

(_. _,._..,_ ;t·".i'?./-:(:_ __./ 

Erin Combs 

1299 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW, SUITE 700, WASHINGTON, DC 20004-2400 T: (202) 842-7800 F: (202) 842-7899 WWW.COOLEY.COM 
January 12, 2015 

AIRLINE EMPLOYEES LODGE 1979 

International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers 

1934 Hau Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96819-3255 

Area Code (808) 832-0261 Fax (BOB) 832-0269 

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union, which represents 

approximately 1800 Hawaiian Airlines employees based in Hawaii providing services in a wide 

range of skills from Mechanics to Baggage Services and Customer Services would like to submit 

this document in strong support of Hawaiian Airlines application to the Department of 

Transportation to provide daily service from Japan to Kana, Hi. 

Not only would this greatly benefit the State of Hawaii, whose economic health relies majorly 

on a strong stream of tourist, it would also require Hawaiian Airlines and other supporting 

businesses to create additional jobs to support the added influx of visitors to the Island of 

Hawaii. On an island where good paying jobs are already hard to find, the daily projected 

service would provide much needed employment opportunities in Kana for our members who 

currently are required to commute to Oahu to maintain employment. Being able to secure 

employment in their own home town and not ride an airplane two hours per day to and from 

work because of the commute would give our members such a better quality of life not only for 

them but for their families. 

We estimate this would provide our current members and hopefully future members an 

additional 40-50 job positions at the Kana airport at Hawaiian Airlines to support this flight and 

would appreciate the Department's understanding when awarding this slot the positive impact 

it would have on our members and surrounding communities. 

We thank the DOT for taking the time read this letter and will be waiting patiently and with 

anticipation that good news will be announced. 

Thank you. 

Brian Simonson President IAM&AW Local Lodge 1979 

David FigueiCVice-President IAM&AW local Lodge 1979 

·"C:iP-
,r 

ASTON 

Hotels & Re s.cns 

The Honorable Anthony Foxx 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Secretary Foxx: 

January 7, 2015 

I am writing this letter in strong support of Hawaiian Airlines' application to provide daily 

nonstop service between Tokyo International Airport at Haneda and Kana International Airport 

on Hawai'i Island. As I'm sure you're aware, when Japan Airlines discontinued their daily 

service to Kana a number of years ago, visitor counts from Japan declined noticeably. Having 

managed hotels on the island of Hawaii early in my career, I can attest to the profound 

difference Japanese visitors made to the island economy - one that is generally the most 

fragile of all of Hawaii's islands. 

As home to one of only three international airports in our state, Kana is the ideal choice for this 

new route, which would greatly benefit the economy of Hawai'i Island and the state in general. 

According to the Hawai'i Tourism Authority the planned flights will bring nearly 92,000 visitors 

to Kana every year, supporting a total of 1,638 jobs. Hawaiian Airlines calculates that 39,000 

of those visitors will be additional visitors to the state, generating 1,151 new jobs, $65 million 

in new direct spending and $117 million in totally new sales. 

Hawaiian Airlines has been a stable provider of service to and from Japan since 2010 and there 

is no doubt that their record of excellent service reflective of Hawaii's renowned "sprit of aloha" 

will continue with this route. I strongly encourage you to approve their request. 

MB:krs 

(;~ Z:.w-B3 

President 

MB2015-01 

ASTON HOTELS & RESORTS, llC • 2155 KalakauaAvenue • 5th Floor • Honolulu • Hawaii • 96815-2398 • 808.931.1400 • AstonHotels.com 
Gordon Umi Kai 

Regional Sales and Marketing Manager 

808-840-5510 T

808-838-2381 F 

gordon.kai@avisbudget.com

 

Avis Budget Group, Inc. 3375 Koapaka St. Suite B203 Honolulu, Hawaii 96819 

The Honorable Anthony Foxx

Secretary of Transportation

U.S. Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E.

Washington, D.C. 20590

Re:  DOT‐OST‐2010‐0018

Aloha Mr. Foxx and Happy New Year,                                                                                        January 6, 2015

Allowing Hawaiian Air to fly the Haneda to Kona route would be a great economic boost, not only for the

Hawaii Island community but also for the entire state.

The Kona Coast and Hilo is a fast growing marketplace for the Japanese as they become repeat visitors to

these islands and this new flight would be a welcomed new entry way to explore more than Waikiki.

This flight would allow businesses like Avis and Budget to consider building a larger fleet of cars and

employing more Hawaii Island residents.

Please allow this route and I know you will hear high praises form both sides of the Pacific.

Mahalo,

Gordon Umi Kai

Regional Sales and Marketing Manager

Avis Budget Group

3375 Koapaka St.

Suite: B‐203

Honolulu, HI 96819

Phone: 808‐840‐5510 direct

Email: gordon.kai@avisbudget.com
75-5660 Palani Road / Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 

Telephone (808) 329-2911 / Fax (808) 329-4602

January 06, 2014 

The Honorable Anthony Foxx 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

RE: DOT - OST-2010-0018 

Dear Honorable Anthony Foxx, 

On behalf of the Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel staff and employees, I 

am in strong support of the application by Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. to provide passenger non-stop air 

service daily scheduled for this summer between Tokyo International Airport at Haneda and Kona 

International Airport on Hawai’i Island. 

We welcome the exciting news that Hawaiian Airlines has again filed an application for a daily, direct

flight between Haneda and Kona. With the additional 294 people per day to Hawaii Island this will 

stimulate significant growth for our hotel and our economy with the potential new direct spending of $65 

million in revenue. Establishing a direct flight from Haneda to Kona is vital to our growth by visitor 

arrivals, daily spending, hotel occupancy, new employment, restaurant covers and activity bookings. 

The King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel has been providing hospitality to our visitors and has been 

an integral part of our local community for over 40 years. Our visitor industry is largely dependent on 

customers traveling by air and a large percentage of our business is supported by our Far East customers. 

In speaking with our industry partners their number one concern is airlift into Kona and the ability to get a 

direct flight. Hawaiian Airlines has a proven track record and has already established a strong presence in 

Japan with its Honolulu – Haneda, Osaka and Fukuoka connection and is the preferred airline of the 

islands. 

We value our ties between Hawaii and Japan and feel confident that Hawaiian Airlines is the right choice 

to service the Haneda to Kona route. This additional direct flight delivers a much needed boost for our 

economy, for the airline industry, for the visitor industry in Hawaii, most importantly employment for our 

residents. 

We kindly ask for your consideration and support to approve Hawaiian Airlines’ application for an 

operating slot at Haneda to allow service for a direct flight between Haneda, Japan and Kona, Hawai`i. 

With warm regards, 

Jak Hu 

General Manager
ROBERT WIDTFIELD 

Regional Vice President 

and General Manager 

January 6, 2015 

FouR SEASONs RESORT 

~~·a/~~%a~ 

The Honorable Anthony Foxx 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Re: DOT Docket #OST-2010-0018 

Aloha Secretary Foxx, 

I am submitting this letter in strong support of the application by Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. to 

provide nonstop service between Tokyo International Airport at Haneda and Kona International 

Airport, Hawai'i Island. This new, daily direct flight will have the capacity to bring an 

additional39,000 visitors a year and positively impact our island's economy. 

Air service from Japan directly to Kona will provide a much-needed boost to our State's 

economy by bringing Japanese tourists to the State. Tourism is our biggest business in Hawaii 

and Japanese tourists spending money in Hawaii, filling our hotels and restaurants, and buying 

at our stores will provide badly needed economic stimulus to our economy and provide new 

employment opportunities for our citizens. 

We are fortunate to have valued Japanese guests here at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai who visit 

with their families from year-to-year. With the proposed Hawaiian Airlines additional flight, 

we anticipate adding to the list of Japanese visitors who look forward to their annual visits to 

our resort, consequently adding revenue to our community and improving job security for our 

employees. 

I urge the Department to approve Hawaiian Airlines' application for an operating slot at Haneda 

to allow service for a direct flight between Haneda, Japan and Kona, Hawai'i. 

Sincerely yours, 

~c_QjQ~) 

Robert Whitfield 

RW/rc 

72-100 KA'UPULEHU DRIVE, KAILUA-KONA, HAWAl'I 96740, U.S.A. 

TEL: (808) 325-8000 FAX: (808) 325-8057 www.fourseasons.com/hualalai 
 

January 5, 2015 

The Honorable Anthony Foxx 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

RE: Docket #OST-2010-0018

Dear Mr. Secretary, 

The Hawai‘i Construction Alliance is in strong support of the application of Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. to provide 

passenger air service from Kona International Airport at Keahole to Tokyo Haneda Airport. 

The Hawai‘i Construction Alliance is comprised of the Hawai‘i Regional Council of Carpenters; the Operative 

Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ Union, Local 630; International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers, Local 

1; the Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local 368; and the Operating Engineers, Local Union No. 3. 

Together, the member unions of the Hawai‘i Construction Alliance represent 15,000 working men and women in the 

basic crafts of our state’s construction industry. 

A direct Kona-Haneda route would provide enormous economic benefits for the State of Hawai‘i. Analyses indicate 

that Kona-Tokyo service would generate 1,151 new jobs, 65 million in new direct spending and $117 million in new 

sales for the local economy. 

In recent years, the tourism industry in the Kona region has supported a number of major construction projects 

which have provided gainful employment for Hawai‘i Island’s carpenters, laborers, masons, and operating 

engineers. Examples of the strong connection between tourism and construction include the recent renovations at the 

Hilton Waikoloa Village, Mauna Kea Resort and Hapuna Beach Hotel, and the long-planned revitalization of the 

Kona Village Resort. We anticipate that additional visitors from Japan will further drive construction activity on 

Hawai‘i Island. 

The economic benefits would not be limited to Hawai‘i Island. According to its application, Hawaiian Airlines will 

also offer attractive connecting service to Maui and Honolulu in conjunction with its Kona-Tokyo flight. The 

increased capacity proposed by Hawaiian Airlines would give Hawai‘i residents additional options to travel to Asia, 

and will also allow Japanese visitors the opportunity to visit other islands and potentially continue onward to 

mainland US destinations. 

On behalf of our members, their families, and the community at large, we respectfully urge you to support Hawaiian 

Airlines’ application to provide passenger air service from Kona International Airport at Keahole to Tokyo Haneda 

Airport. 

Sincerely, 

Tyler Dos Santos-Tam 

Executive Director 

Hawai‘i Construction Alliance 

cc via email: 

The Honorable Brian Schatz, U.S. Senator 

The Honorable Mazie Hirono, U.S. Senator 

The Honorable Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. Representative 

Ms. Ann Botticelli, Hawaiian Airlines 

P.O. Box 179441

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 348-8885 

Hawaiʻi 

Construction 

Alliance 
Hawai‘i Island

Chamber of Commerce

117 Keawe Street, Suite 205

Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720-2851

Phone: (808) 935-7178

Fax: (808) 961-4435

E-mail: admin@hicc.biz

www.hicc.biz

January 15, 2015

Honorable Anthony Foxx

Secretary of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E.

Washington, D.C. 20590

To the Honorable Anthony Foxx,

My name is Chuck Erskine and I am the President of the Hawaii Island Chamber of 

Commerce. With more than 270 member businesses and professionals and over 600 

member representatives, the Chamber serves as an important voice of business in Hawaii.

The Chamber strongly supports the application put forth by Hawaiian Airlines 

requesting service between Kona, Hawai'i and Tokyo, Japan (Haneda Airport).

 Market data demonstrates that Hawai'i is the strongest market for 

Haneda service.

o The Tokyo-Kona market is one of the largest U.S. destination 

markets without non-stop service.

o Hawaiian Airline’s Tokyo-Honolulu service has been the most 

stable of the four Haneda-U.S. routes awarded in 2010.

o Hawaiian Airlines has earned a reputation in Japan for 

unparalleled service and authentic Hawaiian hospitality.

 Direct service between Tokyo and Kona will provide significant public 

interest benefits.

o The Hawai'i Tourism Authority estimates daily service will bring 

nearly 92,000 visitors to Kona every year.

o Hawaiian Airlines calculates that 39,000 of those visitors will be 

additional visitors to the State.

o The additional visitor traffic will generate 1,151 new jobs, $65 

million in new direct spending and $117 million in new sales.

For all of these reasons, we feel that it is eminent that a direct flight between Hawai'i Island 

and Japan be reinstated in order to support both the local island economy while also 

uplifting Hawai'i’s tourism economy as a whole. We humbly ask for your support of this 

application.

Sincerely,

Chuck Erskine

President

Executive Officer

Miles Yoshioka

2014-2015 Board

President

Chuck Erskine

President-Elect

Leslie Ka‘iu Kimura

Vice President

Michael Kaleikini

Treasurer

Vaughn Cook

Immediate Past President

Judith Fox-Goldstein

Directors

Russell Chin

Newton Chu

Nathan Colgrove

John Cross

Jackie De Luz Watanabe

Jay Ignacio

Randy Kurohara

Kapena Lum

Keith Marrack

Tani Matsubara

Stephanie Nagata

Spencer Oliver

Glenn Santos

Wesley Segawa

Margaret Stanley

Donald Straney

Gordon Takaki

Craig Takamine

Barry Taniguchi

Misti Tyrin

Carol VanCamp

William Walter

Noreen Yamane
January 6, 2015 

The Honorable Anthony Foxx 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Aloha Secretary Foxx: 

Re: DOT- OST-2010-0018 

®. 

Hilton 

WAIKOLOA VILLAGE• 

I am writing to strongly support Hawaiian Airlines' application to provide daily non-stop service 

between Tokyo International Airport at Haneda and Kana International Airport on Hawai'i 

Island. 

This route would provide significant benefit to the economy of Hawai'i, and by extension, the 

economy of the United States. The Hawai'i Tourism Authority estimates that daily service using 

a 294-seat A330 aircraft will bring nearly 92,000 visitors to Kana every year, supporting a total 

of 1,638 jobs. Hawaiian Airlines calculates that 39,000 of those visitors will be additional vi sitors 

to our state, generating 1,151 new jobs, $65 million in new direct spending and $117 million in 

total new sales. 

The people of Japan have a great affection for Hawai'i, and Kona in particular. Providing a nonstop option to Hawai'i Island would be commercially successful and a tremendous boost to our 

economy. 

Hawaiian Airlines' application has clear and compelling public benefits and we strongly urge you 

to approve it. 

General Manager 

HILTON WAIKOLOA VILLAGE® 

69-425 Waikoloa Beach Dr. I Waikoloa, HI 96738 

T: 808-886-12341 F: 808-886-2900 I www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com 

®. AMERI CAS • EUROPE • MIDDLE EAST • AFR ICA • AS IA · AUSTRALAS IA 
The Honorable Anthony Foxx 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Re: DOT- OST-2010-0018 

n . HILTON 

WORLDWIDE 

January 6, 2015 

I am writing to strongly support Hawaiian Airlines' application to provide daily nonstop service 

between Tokyo International Airport at Haneda and Kana International Airport on Hawai'i Island. 

This route would provide significant public interest benefit to the economy ofHawai'i and, by 

extension, the economy of the United States. The Hawai'i Tourism Authority estimates daily 

service using a 294-seat A330 aircraft will bring nearly 92,000 visitors to Kana every year, 

supporting a total of 1,638 jobs. Hawaiian Airlines calculates that 39,000 of those visitors will be 

additional visitors to the state, generating 1,151 new jobs, $65 million in new direct spending and 

$117 million in totally new sales. 

The Japanese people have a great affection for Hawai'i, and Kana in particular. Providing a 

nonstop option to Hawai'i Island would be commercially successful and a wonderful use of this 

slot pair. 

Hawaiian Airlines' application has clear and compelling public benefits and we urge you to 

approve it. 

Sincerely, 

Gerard C. Gibson 

Area Vice President- Hilton Worldwide 

Kalia Tower, Hilton Worldwide, Hawaii Region. 2005 Kalia Road, Honolulu, HI 96815 
The Honorable Anthony Foxx 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Re: DOT- OST-2010-0018 

HILTON 

WORLDWIDE 

January 6, 2014 

I am writing to strongly support Hawaiian Airlines' application to provide daily nonstop service 

between Tokyo International Airport at Haneda and Kona International Airport on Hawai'i Island. 

This route would provide significant public interest benefit to the economy ofHawai'i and, by 

extension, the economy of the United States. The Hawai'i Tourism Authority estimates daily 

service using a 294-seat A330 aircraft will bring nearly 92,000 visitors to Kona every year, 

supporting a total of 1,638 jobs. Hawaiian Airlines calculates that 39,000 of those visitors will be 

additional visitors to the state, generating 1,151 new jobs, $65 million in new direct spending and 

$117 million in totally new sales. , 

The Japanese people have a great affection for Hawai'i, and Kona in particular. Providing a 

nonstop option to Hawai'i Island would be commercially successful and a wonderful use of this 

slot pair. 

Hawaiian Airlines' application has clear and compelling public benefits and we urge you to 

approve it. 

Sincerely, 

Jon C nching Lora Gallagher 

Regional Vice President, Sales & Marketing Regional Director of Marketing 

Cynthia Rankin 

Director of Corporate Communications 

Hilton Worldwide, Hawaii Region. 2005 Kalia Road, Honolulu, HI 96815 
January 7, 2015

The Honorable Anthony Foxx

Secretary of Transportation

U.S. Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

RE: Docket-OST-2010-0018

Dear Secretary Foxx,

We wish to express our strong support for the Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. application to provide passenger air 

service from Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Japan to Kona International Airport.

Our island state is dependent on air transportation and Hawaiian Airlines has been an excellent provider since 

1929. Tourism is our state’s largest industry and Hawaiian Air’s extensive schedule provides frequent 

connections to all Hawaiian islands, as well as other out of state destinations creating expansion opportunities 

to many markets. Direct air service from Japan to Kona will provide an estimated additional $117 million 

dollars into the economy of Hawaii. The Hawaii Tourism Authority estimates daily service will bring nearly 

92,000 visitors annually, 39,000 of which will be new to the state.

Presently, the state of Hawaii is the largest travel market for Japanese visitors to the U.S. Kona is the second 

largest “origin and destination” market without a nonstop flight making it one of the most underserved 

markets in the United States. 

Our business is a family owned retail grocery chain on the Island of Hawaii. We have been in business since 

1916 and have experienced the ups and downs of our economy for over 98 years. We believe the direct Japan

to Kona service will be a positive opportunity for our local economy.

We strongly recommend the U.S. Department of Transportation approve Hawaiian Airlines’ application. They 

have established a strong and differentiated brand presence in Tokyo and have an exemplary record of leading 

the nation’s carriers in on-time service for the past decade.

Please feel free to contact me via email at barry_taniguchi@ktasuperstores.com if you have any questions 

regarding our letter of support for Hawaiian Airlines.

Sincerely,

Barry K. Taniguchi

President

Barry K. Taniguchi

50 E. Puainako Street, Hilo Hawai‘i 96720

Phone (808) 959-2817, Fax (808) 959-8050

E-mail: barry_taniguchi@ktasuperstores.com
January 15, 2015

The Honorable Anthony Foxx

Secretary of Transportation

U.S. Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E.

Washington, D.C. 20590

RE: DOT Docket # OST-2010-0018

Aloha Secretary Foxx,

On behalf of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce and its 500+ membership, 

I am submitting this letter in strong support of the application by Hawaiian 

Airlines, Inc. to provide passenger air service from Kona International Airport, 

Hawai’i Island to Tokyo International Airport at Haneda. The Kona-Kohala 

Chamber of Commerce is the leading business advocacy organization on the 

west side of Hawai’i Island. We actively work to enhance the environment, 

unique lifestyle and quality of life in West Hawai’i for our residents and visitors 

alike.

Tourism continues to be a key economic driver for our island and our state. 

While it is true our state is recording strong recovery numbers (4.2% 

unemployment for October 2014), Hawai’i Island lags behind as our

unemployment numbers continue to hover around 5.3%. This proposed flight 

will inject our economy with much needed revenue that has a multiplier effect. 

Not only will our hotels, activity and restaurant members’ benefit, but many

other sectors of our local economy. Of the estimated 1,151 additional jobs 

created by this service, the majority would take place on this island and would 

strongly impact our slow yet steady recovery. 

Japanese visitors have proven their affection for Hawai’i as evidenced by the 

travel numbers – the state of Hawai’i hosted 1,379,880 Japanese visitors in 

2013 and final numbers will show another strong year for 2014. Hawai’i Island, 

even without a non-stop flight, was the second largest market between Japan 

and the U.S. This direct Japan-Kona flight will provide a second international 

gateway while also offering easy access to our neighbor islands with Hawaiian’s 

connector flights. In addition, our local community has strong ties to the Asian 

market as over 38% of our island population is Asian, as reported in the 2012 

U.S. Census Bureau report for Hawai`i.

Hawaiian Airlines has a proven track record and has already established a 

strong presence in Japan with its Honolulu – Haneda, Osaka and Sendai
January 15, 2015

The Honorable Anthony Foxx

Page Two

flights. Their fleet modernization program included adding new long-range 

Airbus A330 aircraft, making their fleet the youngest in the industry. They 

follow through on their commitment to “service, safety and the spirit of aloha”

with every flight, making a Hawaiian Airlines flight a true Hawaiian experience.

As I contemplate a possible increase of 92,000+ visitors a year to our state, I 

can’t help but feel a sense of renewed optimism for West Hawai’i. As Board 

Chair for the past two years and Board member for many more, I have come to

know our membership and the people who choose to make this island their 

home. They are hard-working, compassionate, creative and resourceful. But 

many are still struggling to overcome the effects of the negative economy of the 

past few years. This flight has the capability to set in motion a ripple effect that 

positively impacts more than just an industry – it will impact an entire island. 

I humbly urge the Department to approve Hawaiian Airlines’ application for an 

operating slot at Haneda to allow service for a direct flight between Haneda, 

Japan and Kona, Hawai`i. The consequences for our Island are beyond 

measure.

Sincerely,

Tracey Fosso

Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce

Board Chair

 
January 9, 2015 

The Honorable Anthony Foxx 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Re: DOT-OST-2010-0018 

star.wood 

Hotels and 

Resorts 

I am writing to strongly support Hawaiian Airlines' application to provide daily nonstop service 

between Tokyo International Airport at Haneda and Kona International Airport on Hawai'i Island. 

We have a strong interest in this opportunity and our property, The Sheraton Kona Resort, would 

directly benefit with the increase in tourism this would provide to us and the destination. 

Market data demonstrates that Hawai'i is the strongest market for Haneda service. The Tokyo-Kana 

market is one of the largest U.S. destination markets without non-stop service. Hawaiian's TokyoHonolulu service has been the most stable of the four Haneda-U.S. route awarded in 2010. 

Hawaiian Airlines has earned a reputation in Japan for unparalleled service and hospitality. 

Currently, the Honolulu International Airport is at full capacity in the mornings due to the many 

international arrivals. The approval of the Hawaiian Airlines' daily service to the Kona International 

Airport will enable tourism to grow from Tokyo to Hawaii, particularly to the neighbor islands, and 

support the long term growth of Hawaii's economy. 

This route would provide significant public interest benefit to the economy of Hawai'i and, by 

extension, the economy of the United States. The Hawai'i Tourism Authority estimates daily service 

using a 294-seat A330 aircraft will bring nearly 92,000 visitors to Kona every year, supporting a total 

of 1,638 jobs. Hawaiian Airlines calculates that 39,000 of those visitors will be additional visitors to 

the state, generating 1,151 new jobs, $65 million in new direct spending and $117 million in totally 

new sales. 

The Japanese people have a great affection for Hawai'i, and Kona in particular. Providing a nonstop 

option to Hawai'i Island would be commercially successful and a wonderful use of this slot pair. 

Hawaiian Airlines' application has clear and compelling public benefits and we urge you to approve 

it. 

Sincerely, 

---JQ\-

Harris Chan 

VP, Operations 

.... 

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Hawaii & French Polynesia