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Princeville’s PRINCEVILLE >> Talk about a fledgling airline: one airplane, one pilot, in business six weeks.
1-plane wonder
Startup Kauai airline flying
high after just 6 weeksBy Anthony Sommer
tsommer@starbulletin.comMarketing for Kauai's brand new North Shore Airways so far has consisted of a printed flyer and word of mouth.
So is North Shore Airways making money yet?
"We just sort of keep bouncing off the black," laughed Joseph Sandlin. "With four passengers we break even, with five we make a profit."
North Shore Airways flies from Princeville to Honolulu every morning and returns every night. During the day, Sandlin flies charters, hauls cargo and operates a company that repairs aircraft radios.
Round trip cost is $140 and books of tickets are offered at a discount. The price is slightly higher than tickets on Aloha or Hawaiian, but Kauai's north shore residents save driving a round trip of at least 90 minutes and paying for parking at Lihue Airport.
In fact, passengers who don't leave a car at Princeville Airport often get a free ride home from North Shore employees or fellow passengers. This is, after all, a Neighbor Island airline.
It also involves considerably less security hassle. Princeville is a private airport owned by Princeville Corp.
On the Oahu side, North Shore lands at Honolulu International but uses the Executive Terminal, which is far less crowded than the neighboring Interisland Terminal.
North Shore Airways began service on Dec. 6. It began as a six-day operation but quickly included Sundays when customers began asking for it.
The airline flies a nine-passenger Piper Chieftain twin turboprop that originally was owned by entertainer Jim Nabors. It makes the trip in 42 minutes at about 210 mph.
The passenger seats are removed during the day to make space for cargo.
Sandlin is hoping to add an 18-passenger Twin Otter in the near future. He also is hoping to begin at least once a week service between Honolulu and Maui.
One of the drawbacks is that Princeville Airport, located on the wettest shore of the wettest island, does not have a tower or an instrument landing system. But, so far, Sandlin has had to divert to Lihue Airport only once because of weather.
The airline is owned by Sandlin and a few partners. They bought a small charter airline called Kumulani Air that was no longer flying but held all the required permits.
The name was changed to North Shore to emphasize the area of Kauai it primarily serves.
"This is what I originally came to Kauai to do. I was hired by Hawaii Helicopters as their chief pilot and to start a shuttle service. I think I flew three shuttles in three years and spent all the rest of my time flying tours of the island."
Hawaii Helicopters was purchased by Helio USA, a Las Vegas, Nev., Co., last year. It is the only other aircraft operation at Princeville Airport.
North Shore Airways has a toll-free number, 1-866-8674673, and a Web site at www.north shoreairways.com.
Meanwhile, Kahului-based scheduled commuter airline Pacific Wings, announced yesterday that it has stopped service from Honolulu to Maui's Kapalua-West Maui Airport. In September, the company trimmed back flights from six round trips per day to three, citing inadequate maintenance facilities and a lack of hangar space at its Kahului Airport base. The company has been in a dispute with the state's Department of Transportation over infrastructure to support its operations and grow the airline. Company President Greg Kahlstorf said he had no alternative but to cease operations to Kapalua.
"It's a shame that the state Department of Transportation has created such insurmountable obstacles to competition that Pacific Wings can no longer compete in this strategic market. Unfortunately, it seems Kapalua is just the latest casualty."