Kauai Real Estate and Local News April 7
Aloha from breezy (but warm) Kauai and I hope you all had a great weekend. I have a lot of local news and a real estate update for you.
*****Kauai Real Estate*****
5 Kukui’ula lots here in Poipu sold this week and a new subdivision came on the market in Kapaa. The new subdivision is called Aina Wai Agricultural Subdivision. This project is designed specifically for farming uses and has great mountain and ocean views. These lot sizes start at 1 + acres and should qualify for one house plus a guest house. The offerings on these lots are for non-binding reservations only as the subdivision has Tentative Subdivision Approval at this time. Call me for more details. For a complete list of what has been listed and what has sold this last week CLICK HERE
*****ATA shutdown*****
Another surprise move was the shutdown of ATA Airlines on April 2. In a press release on their website they state: “After filing for Chapter 11 on April 2, 2008 in the U.S. Bankruptcy
Court in Indianapolis, IN, ATA Airlines has discontinued all operations and cancelled all current and future flights. Following the loss of a key contract for our military charter business, it became impossible for ATA to continue operations. Unfortunately, we were not in a position to provide our customers or others with advance notice.” ATA abruptly went out of business on Friday leaving hundreds of travelers stranded. ATA had filed for bankruptcy in 2006 and came out of it after partnering with Southwest Airlines. Officials say that the most affected travel routes for the state of Hawaii that the Aloha and ATA leaves us is the Hawaii to Las Vegas routes of which these two airlines had 40% of the market.
The shutdown triggered the Hawaiian Tourism Authority to release 5 million in travel funds to help stranded passengers. Hawaiian, United, Delta, Continental, Northwest, Alaska and US Airways are all working with Aloha and ATA passengers to get them back home. United, Go! and Hawaiian Air are adding new flights to fill the void. Hotels here are working with people who need an extra night stay and are keeping them up to date on the airline changes.
What has the mood been here on Kauai? You wouldn’t know anything happened besides an occasional reference. Everyone is pretty calm about it and to quote a gentleman that spoke to our newspaper “If I have to be stranded I’d rather be stranded in paradise”
*****Aloha Airlines Fallout Continues*****
Aloha Airlines has been in the news daily. The biggest headlines have
been the stranded Merrie Monarch Halau’s and the adding of flights by
Hawaiian and Go! Airlines. The Merrie Monarch Festival which
is dedicated to the memory of King David Kalakaua, known as the Merrie
Monarch. King Kalakaua came to the throne of the Hawaiian Kingdom in
1874 and reigned until his death in 1891. He was a patron of the arts,
especially music and dance. This year the festival is being held in Hilo and
with the 24 hour notice that Aloha Airlines gave the dancers and
festival goers were stranded and scrambling for tickets.
Hawaiian Airlines is credited to stepping up to bat and helping out
the festival participants and the halaus which had members coming from as far away as Japan.
Hawaiian Airlines and Go! put out an ad to fill 54 positions to meet
the demands of new flights being added. “This is only the first step,
in what we hope will be many more announcements regarding employment
opportunities at Hawaiian Airlines” said mark Dunkerley Hawaiian
Airlines president and CEO.
Officials say loss of Aloha airlines will not affect tourism because
Aloha only accounted for 4.5 percent of the nearly 7.6 million
passenger seats from the Mainland to Hawaii. Rex Johnson, from the
Hawaii Tourism Authority, said Aloha’s competitors should have no
problem filling the void.
*****Superferry Gearing Up Early*****
Seeing a void in interisland travel and freight service the Superferry is back in service 2 weeks early. Their Maui to Oahu run will start today. Controversy still surrounds the new mode of transportation as the Environmental Impact Study is still underway.