Pacific Wings is an FAA Part 135 carrier, which regulates planes carrying 10 or fewer passengers. The other scheduled carriers are FAA Part 121. Part 121 carriers can fly into any airport in the state, says Coleman, but they are not allowed to fly out if the airport is not certificated as meeting all FAA security requirements. Kahlstorf says Pacific Wings would not fly anyplace that was not safe and secure. To become Part 121 certificated would require, she believes, full-time security staff and other costly arrangements, all being controlled from Washington.
Luggage also is subject to random hand inspection.
He said Pacific Wings has been given permission to use the small airports. DOT spokeswoman Marilyn Kali said Tuesday afternoon that the FAA has not yet provided the standards for certificating the small airports, and the DOT cannot predict when the standards will be published. Airports in Hawaii are owned by the state. Coleman said the difference between Part 121 and Part 135 airports is uniform across the country. No exemptions have been issued in Hawaii.