Opinion ID: 2812846
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Pofolk’s Unpaid Landing Fees

Text: Pofolk is a Hawai#i corporation whose commercial sky diving and parachuting operations are based out of Dillingham Airfield. Pofolk is a “non-signatory carrier,” i.e., it is not party to an Airport-Airline Lease that specifies rates and fees for its activities at Dillingham Airfield. In late 2012, a dispute arose between DOT-A and Pofolk over Pofolk’s unpaid landing fees. By letter dated December 17, 2012, Pofolk, through counsel, agreed to file all required reports and pay all past and future landing fees that were lawfully owed subject to an agreement that the fees would be paid under protest. Pofolk also stated that if DOT-A would resolve Pofolk’s outstanding permit -5-  FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER  issues, allow it to construct a hangar at Dillingham Airfield, and allow it to use Hana Airport, Pofolk would continue paying the landing fees and not pursue litigation. In a letter dated February 20, 2013, DOT-A claimed that Pofolk had not reported any landings since the end of November 2012. DOT-A also informed Pofolk that it owed DOT-A a total of $264,994.99, and demanded payment for the full amount owed. On February 28, 2013, Pofolk sent $50,837.99 “as partial payment for the disputed landing fees.” Pofolk stated that the payment was being made “under protest and without prejudice to [Pofolk’s] contentions that [it] is exempt and should not be required to pay any amount of landing fees.”