Hilo flights likely to cost more - Hawaii Business

This freakin' state government....what bunch of thieves.
Why is it the media is always reporting these things after they go into effect?

Guess in the future you can get into Hilo only by taking the cruise ships or flying into Kona! Advertise Hilo as a "Ghost Town" or make it into a "free for all" zone whre anything goes...perhaps that will increase travel enough reduce or eliminate such ridiculous fees. Glad I no longer live in Hilo!

State government at its best.

Providing transportation systems is an essential function of government. Airports in this state are the practical equivalent of highways, and the state is obliged to provide them on reasonable terms to all.

So the state raises the cost per passenger to pass through the Hilo airport, which already was more than triple the highest of the other major airports, because the number of passengers declined. The airlines need to raise fares to cover this, so fewer people will choose to use the Hilo airport. Meaning even fewer passengers so the state will need to raise the rate again. Before long, Hilo will have no air service. Flying in and out of Kona may be fine for tourists, but locals are not going to drive 2 hours to Kona to take the 40 minute flight to Honolulu.

Larry Mehau does not have ties to Billy Kenoi. Larry Mehau does not have anything to do with politics on the big island. Old Larry is too busy with his other business to even think about getting his fingers into local politics. Anyone who even thinks that Mister Mehau would influence local government should be very sure to drive very carefully. Accidents happen , don't you know.

Thats the most bogus tax! Taxing us to wait at the airport in the holding room? Hello, where else we supposed to wait, in the rain? We already getting nickel and dimed for fees and extra bags. We gotta take off our slippahs and hand over our cell phones. What the hell else this crazy people in govt. positions going do to make sure we dont have anywhere to turn for relief??? They already on hawaiian homes lands and now they like charge and none of it is going to the residents next door who gotta endure the noise and pollution.*#@&!!

The Big Island doesn't need two major airports anyway. Many people on the mainland drive 2 hours or more to get to their closest airport.

Let the airlines pull out of Hilo and let everyone fly in and out of Kona. Kona has more flights, better fares and 10 nonstop mainland departures every day including Canada and Japan.

Okay Mayor Kenoi, while you and Mufi stay talking big about negotiations, how come you let this happen?
I suggest you get to Gov. Lingles office pronto and pound the table.
While you at it, bring along Mufi and Tavares so the gang can lobby together. What a joke!

This doesn't affect tourism. Tourists fly into Kona to get to Waikoloa. A few of them drive to the Hilo side, but only to see the Volcano. This primarily affects locals.

alice wrote:

I read that the Big Island mayor has ties to organized crime. Yikes.

you right and he still is, dis his all body old boyz.

Typical, get the money where they can. If they left airports like they did back then. No need for holding rooms. No need for jet ways. Keep it like KONA,thats hawaii and the cost would be less.

Maybe Billy is trying to raise "LEGAL FEES" for "MOTTA" attorneys? THEY DID A FUND RAISER IN HILO I THINK..........

So if Hilo has low passenger levels and high terminal expenses...then why are they currently making lounge improvements at the Hilo airport? They should be reducing their size instead of expanding it to match smaller passenger levels. I always wondered why Hilo had jetways and Kona didn't even though Kona has much more passenger traffic and larger planes.

If people are serious about this tax being removed then the following one step will do it.NO one to fly into or out of Hilo for one month.If the dummies do not see the big picture then make it two months.If no one goes in or out of Hilo the airlines will cut off service.Need to get these people where it hurts them,in their pocket books.

Lets just keep adding on all this crap until no one can afford to fly in or out of Hilo. That will fix it. Stupid

Is this is a tax to pay for the "improvements" currently underway at the Hilo airport?

Are we a state or a bunch of towns? Do the citizens of east Hawaii receive less than their prorata share of the state revenue pie in other areas? Let's have a breakdown of each expenditure by town.

StateTaxPayer wrote:

What a ridiculous tax!!!

They call it a fee.....not a tax! That's how this country is getting around "taxation without representation." Another Tea Party Agenda Item!!!

macuu222 wrote:

The Big Island doesn't need two major airports anyway. Many people on the mainland drive 2 hours or more to get to their closest airport.
Let the airlines pull out of Hilo and let everyone fly in and out of Kona. Kona has more flights, better fares and 10 nonstop mainland departures every day including Canada and Japan.

You obviously dont live in Hilo, so we dont need an airport in Hilo and we spend the gas and 2 hours to drive to Kona airport and then pay $7.00 per day to keep our car in the airport parking lot. Hmmmmmmmm that seems like a fair solution. Not! The fair solution is to stop raising taxes so the airlines can afford to offer us the same service the other islands get at a reasonable price, travel goes up and things even out.

alice wrote:

<quoted text>very true..and Hilo is not a tourist hotspot. It is a bore and is ind ecline economically.

Hilo is not Waikiki. It is a relaxing little city with lots of scenic beauty. There are very few places left in Hawaii where one can hear the calls of native birds in the wild, view tropical waterfalls, watch the majesty and power of an active volcano, and, during the winter months, go skiiing! All this on one island! Hilo is a place to unwind. You may not find much "excitement" in Hilo, but you will find your soul.

Get rid of the Hawaiian music and hula dancers. Save money that way

As Executive Officer of the Hawai`i Island Chamber of Commerce in Hilo, I cannot find a single good thing to say about this rate increase. It is outrageous to burden Hilo at a time when our economy is already so challenging for our business community.