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HAWAII
Polar Air beefs up Hawaii cargo service
Polar Air Cargo, a worldwide air freight operator based in Long Beach, Calif., has begun offering scheduled air cargo flights between Los Angeles and Honolulu. The airline, which has been running cargo charters to the islands for five years, will now run all-cargo Boeing 747 jets on a regular timetable, with one flight a day Tuesday through Saturday.The airline said the five flights a week will mostly haul mail, inbound to Hawaii, and perishable products. (Mail outbound from Hawaii is carried by FedEx Express planes, under a contract with the U.S. Postal Service). More information is available on the company's Web site, www.polaraircargo.com.
November tax revenue strong
The state Tax Department reported tax revenues rose 2.7 percent to $253 million in November from $246.2 million last year, though collections were hurt by the "weekend effect."Individual income tax revenues rose 9.2 percent to $90.1 million from $82.5 million. Revenue from the general excise tax fell 11.7 percent to $117.7 million from $133.2 million. Deposits from the transient accommodations tax fell 9.7 percent to $10.2 million from $11.3 million.
Some November tax revenue was not collected until this month because the last day of November fell on a weekend, which postpones the due date until the first day of the following month.
Hoteliers broaden their base
The Hawaii Hotel Association will change its name to the Hawaii Hotel & Lodging Association starting next year, to reflect its representation of time-share properties and vacation clubs.The trade association, which has more than 180 hotels in its membership, wants a new logo and is seeking contest entries from members and college art students. For more information, call 923-0407.
JAPAN
Daiei gets buyer for pub unit
Tokyo >> Katokichi Co., a maker of frozen and processed food, said it will buy two-thirds of Daiei Inc.'s pub chain unit to broaden its range of entertainment outlets.Katokichi will pay about ¥729 million ($5.9 million) for 67.02 percent of the unit. Confectioner 21 Lady will buy a further 24.95 percent, bringing the value of the acquisition to about ¥1 billion, according to a Bloomberg News report. Hub operates 23 pubs in central Tokyo and Osaka.
Daiei is selling off businesses to cut debt and raise funds to renovate its supermarkets.
MAINLAND
Hughes, EchoStar kill merger plan
DETROIT >> Hughes Electronics Corp. and EchoStar Communications Corp. terminated their proposed merger of the nation's two biggest satellite television operations, the companies announced today.The government had taken steps to block the deal, and the companies said they called it off because it couldn't be completed within the time allowed.
El Segundo, Calif-based Hughes owns DirecTV, while EchoStar runs the Dish Network. The planned merger would have created a single powerhouse satellite TV service with 18 million subscribers.
