I 

NEiL ABERCROMBlE 

{l<:"J"tJE<RNC,,q Of HJ!,Wt!Jt LORETTA J. RJODY, A.C.S.W~, M.P.!\ ~YF:!-:·>::!0~ Of. H::AL~k 

STAlE OF HAWAII 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 

P. O.BOX 3378, 

HONOLULU, HI 96001-3378 

In !epiy. pte.a;se m'er Ill: 

November 26, 2013 

Scott Faulk 

Transportation Industry Analysis 

Office of Aviation Analysis 

lJ.S. Department of'rranspm1ati.on 

1200 Nevi"' Jerseys Ave. SE 

Washingtcm, DC 20590 

Dear Mr. Faulk: 

On October 23, 2013 I sent a letter, on behalf ofthe Kalaupapa Settlement to theEssentia1 

Air Service & Domestic Analysis Division related to the Federal Aviation Administration's 

advertisement for an Essential Air Senrice (.EAS) provider for service to and from 

Kalaupapa Settlement on the Is.land ofMolokai in Ha-vvaii, Order 2013-10-3 for service 

beginning January 14, 2013. Because the EAS has been such a critical element in providing 

the opportunity fhr Kalaupapa residents and visitors to travel to and from the Settlement, the 

comrnunity '"'ants to support the current carrier Makani Kai/Schuman Aviation. 

After analysis and discussion of the 4 applications tbr the E,.\S contract, Kalaupapa 

Settlement residents signing this letter support the Mak:ani Kai application since it is 

requesting a subsidy almost simHar to the closest competitor but offers many services 

residents have come to cherish, such as free airport parking, no bag fees, limited wait time 

tor boarding and getting bags immediately on anivaJ, no ticket canceHation or change fees 

and guaranteed rapid wheelchair access at Flonolu.lu and Kalaupapa. .And the schedule is 

one of our o1:vn creation in cooperation \:vith Makani Kai. 

The applications submitted indicate passenger loads. Mak:ani Kai uses rcali.stic numbers 

based on experience while the other three applicants try to show expanded service by 

including trips to Maui, trips that are infrequently used by Kalaupapa residents. The 

contract is for ••essential" servkes, and those arc located topside and in Honolul.u . 

Fife 

.tv1akani Kai has guaranteed the same fares as Vie ha:ve today. Others offer teasel' Jares much 

Like PaciHc \Vings did and vvithin a year of their service the teaser fare of$25 \Vent to $503. 

None of the three new applicants provide any guarantees of fare stabilization, and it \Vas that 

lack of stabilization under Pacific \Vings that drove passenger enplanements fro.m 3200 
annuall•i to 900 annuall)' before Makani Kai took <rver. ]'hat was an extremelv difficult time . . for Kalaupapa residents that we do not -vvish to experience ever again. 

Makani Kai has provided superior service to tl1e Kalaupapa Settlement for the pa"lt 2 years. 

l'vtakani Kai worked closely with the community to provide optimum service and allowed a 

resident rate for travel that has allovved and encourages connection to both topside h·1olokai 

and Honolulu. Both locations are vital links to medka.l services, normal government services 

and other shopping and entertainment activities. Those locations serve our needs, not routes 

to Maui. 

Knowledge of Kalaupapa and trust are critical consideratjons fbr the people of Kalaupapa. 

We have that with l\ifakani Kai One of the applicants says they wi.U \Nork \Vith our Chamber 

ofComrnerce (\ve have none) and others say they '<Nill work out a schedule with the 

Commtmity after they get the subsidy. liard to trust those promises \vhen Kalaupapa already 

receives the exact service we ret1uested and our experience \:v·ith Padfic Wings ·v.ms exactly 

the opposite. 

Makani Kai has provided EAS service to Kalaupapa vvith a subsidy, but they have 

maintained and exceeded all their promises to provide aff(m.iable services and this has 

brought trip numbers back to pre-Pacifi.c \:Vings le·vels as the EAS is expected to pnrvide. 

Their currei1t application does not artificially innate the passenger numbers like the other 3 

applicants but relies on proven per.formance to forecast future performance. 

Makani Kai has ·done everything the)l promised and done so very well for residents and 

visitors to Kalaupapa. 

Please give .Y·our most serious consideration to Makani Kai's fine record operating under the 

EAS and av•.rru·d the nevv contract to them for the fbreseeable future. It is imperative for the 

health and ,;v·elfare of this community that you do so to provide kmg tenn security to this 

community ihr access to and t1:om Kalaupapa Settlement to locations vve need to survive this 

most remote location. 

Sincerely, 

r..·tark Miller 

Administrator Kalaupapa Settlement 

And attached residents who support this letter