Hawaiian Airlines sees decline in May passengers

Hawaiian Airlines carried 8.5 percent fewer passengers last month than it did in May 2000 and all its other May statistics were down as well.

The airline said it had 477,984 paying passengers in May, nearly 45,000 fewer than in the year earlier. Revenue passenger miles, the number of miles flown multiplied by the number of passengers, were down 5.2 percent at 447.1 million last month, from 471.8 million in the previous May.

Available seat miles, the number of available seats times the miles flown, were down a slight 0.8 percent at 579.7 million, from a year-earlier 584.5 million. The airline's load factor, the percentage of the available seats that were occupied, slipped 3.6 points to 77.1 percent, from 80.7 percent.

The airline's report consolidates all its business - interisland, mainland-Hawaii, Hawaii- South Pacific and charters.

Aloha Air tops U.S. again in on-time performance

Aloha Airlines, with 87.5 percent of its domestic flights arriving on time in April, posted the best on-time performance among airlines reporting to the federal government. The carrier, which is the only airline to report its figures voluntarily, beat out the nation's 10 biggest airlines, which are required to report every month.

State plant-closure notice extended to 60 days

Gov. Ben Cayetano this week signed into law Act 211, relating to state labor law. The act requires employers now to notify each employee and the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations in writing, of an impending closure, partial closure, or business relocation at least 60 days in advance. The law previously required 45 days' notice. The act seeks to provide workers more time to plan for future employment or obtain retraining prior to the job loss or business change.

State teen magazine makes jump to TV

Hawaii's "Sassy" magazine expanded into the airwaves at 7 p.m. yesterday on KFVE with its first TV show, prior to the Miss Hawaii Pageant.

Hosted by Derrick Bulatao, better known as radio and nightclub DJ Kutmaster Spaz, the half-hour show was a preview of 13 episodes to be shot for the fall season, according to editor Jody Shiroma.

The teen magazine is published by Double Talk LLC, and distributed free to high schools.

Company principals are Shiroma, owner of Skyward Communications, and Kathy Miya-Revuelto, creative director of MEOW!Design.

Sassy was once a national publication, but went defunct in the mid-1990s. Double Talk distributes 50,000 copies free to high schools.

ML Macadamia declares 61st straight dividend

ML Macadamia Orchards LP Thursday announced a quarterly cash dividend of 5 cents per Class A unit of the partnership. The distribution, the 61st in a row, will be paid Aug. 15 to holders of record June 29.

ML Macadamia's distribution last quarter was also 5 cents. The Big Island macadamia farming partnership's stock closed down 30 cents yesterday, at $3.20.

Hawaii building company buys Kailua-Kona firm

Building supply and bonding company Honsador Lumber Corp. said it has bought the assets of Cameli Construction Supply in Kailua-Kona for an undisclosed price.

Honsador, a statewide supply company that has purchased several of its competitors over the past few years, operates next door to Cameli in the Kaloko Light Industrial Park.

Cameli was founded as a stucco supply business in 1983 and has become a major supplier of masonry and drywall products throughout the islands, Honsador said.