Air seats to islands Airlines serving Hawaii provided 2.38 million seats into the state during the first quarter this year.
stay stable after
record 2000
The overall volume is down
about 1 percent in the first quarterBy Russ Lynch
rlynch@starbulletin.comThat total is down 1 percent from 2.4 million seats in the first quarter of 2000, a slight drop from what had been a record period, according to calculations by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
Seats on scheduled air routes were almost unchanged, down 0.5 percent, while the much smaller charter market, with only 77,000 seats, dropped 15 percent from 91,000 a year ago.
Last year set records, as rising travel demand, positive economic conditions and increased marketing efforts boosted business, said Ron Wright, Hawaii Tourism Authority board member and Continental Airlines managing director, sales and marketing-Hawaii.
Airlines last year added 500,000 seats to Hawaii, many of them from previously untapped markets on the West Coast and routes from the eastern United States, Wright said.
Seats on nonstop scheduled routes from the mainland were down 0.6 percent at just under 1.4 million in the first quarter, DBEDT said.
International nonstop scheduled seats into the islands were down 0.4 percent at 904,622 in the first quarter of 2001, from 907,854 in the 2000 quarter, DBEDT said.
"In comparing this year to last, it is important to keep in mind that 2000 was a banner year for air service to Hawaii," said Seiji Naya, DBEDT director.
Tony Vericella, president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, said nonstops from the eastern parts of the mainland attract "higher-spending, longer-staying, premium leisure travelers" as well as conventioneers.
Wright cautioned that rising fuel costs, union contracts that are driving up wages and a decline in business travel, which has a higher yield than leisure travel, are pushing up airline operating costs.
Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism