NEIL ABERCROMBIE 

GOVERNOR 

Mr. Dennis J. DeVany 

STATE OF HAWAII 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

869 PUNCHBOWL STREET 

HONOLULU, HAWAII 96813-5097 

May 25,2011 

Chief, Essential Air Service Division 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Office of Aviation Analysis 

400 Seventh Street, S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Mr. De V any: 

GLENN M. OKIMOTO 

DIRECTOR 

Deputy Directors 

FORD N. FUCHIGAMI 

JAN S. GOUVEIA 

RANDYGRUNE 

JADINE URASAKI 

IN REPLY REFER TO: 

AIR-L 

11.0088 

The State of Hawaii, Department of Transportation, Airports Division (DOT-A) operates the 

15 airports in our island state. The airports are a critical link in the transportation infrastructure 

vital to the economy of the islands. Our responsibility is to promote air transportation in the 

service of all the major islands. The airways are the state's "highways in the sky" between the 

islands. The EAS program is essential to meet the needs for air service to temote and isolated 

communities such as Hana, Kalaupapa and Kamuela. ,'1 

The DOT -A has long been concerned about the quality of air 8ervic~ provided at Kalaupapa by 

Pacific Wings, the U.S. DOT's designated air carrier under its Essential Air Service Program: 

1. The community of Kalaupapa must be supported with good and dependable air se:..-vice 

due to its geographical isolation. : 

a. Air service int%ut of the Kalaupapa Settlement is the primary means of transport 

for patients, health care workers, park employees and visitors. 

b. The only other mode of transportation int%ut of this location is by walking a 

2 'l2 mile trail with 26 switchbacks up and down a 1,600 foot cliff. 

c. By sea, the settlement is serviced by an annual barge to bring in a year's worth of 

bulk supplies and equipment. 

2. The State of Hawaii is' also responsible to care arld support the needs of an of the patients 

through the state's Department of Health. 

a. Most of the patients travels are to Honolulu for medical visits. 

b. Passengers with mobility impamnents will not be able to travel to/from 

Kalaupapa without a lift or other level entry boarding device. 

c. Pacific Wings Airlines recently announced severe restrictions to providing special 

accortlmodalions to support the carriage of disabled passengers. 
Mr. Dennis J. DeVany 

May 25, 2011 

Page 2 

AIR-L 

11.0088 

d. While federal regulations do not require air carriers with less than 19 seats or 

airports with under 10,000 enplanements to provide passenger lifts when aircraft 

entry boarding is not available, it is an appropriate and proper and rightfully 

expected level of customer service for any air carrier servicing the Kalaupapa 

community. 

3. The level of service that should be expected from any EAS provider to these remote 

communities, especially Kalaupapa must include: 

a. Reasonable fares/frequency of flights/available seats. 

b. Ability to accommodate mobility impaired passengers. 

As a public organization, the State of Hawaii, DOT can make reasonable suggestions, 

recommendations and comments on expected levels and quality of service by the current EAS 

provider. DOT-A fully supports the Order requesting proposals to provide Essential Air Service 

to Kalaupapa. Competition should result in the proper and needed level of service to this unique 

community. 

Should you have any questions, please contact Mr. Roy Sakata, Airports Operations Officer, at 

(808) 838-8607. 

Very truly yours, 

~~~ 

GLENN M. OKIMOTO, Ph.D. 

Director of Transportation