Isle water firm parent's sales jump 93 percent

Amcon Distributing Co., which last December finalized its purchase of Hawaiian Natural Water Co., said yesterday it posted a 93 percent second-quarter jump in sales over the year-ago quarter.

Omaha, Neb.-based Amcon, which distributes consumer goods, said revenues were driven by its June acquisition of a Quincy, Ill., distribution business.

Amcon had $194.16 million in sales compared with $100.79 million in the comparable quarter in 2001 while net income was $90,435, or 3 cents per share, compared with a loss of $1.56 million, or a loss of 57 cents, per share in the year-ago period.

Amcon Chairman William Wright said the retail segment is still showing a loss but that he expected that to change after the capacity of Hawaiian Natural Water's plant is increased.

"Our business in Hawaii, which bottles natural spring water under the Hawaiian Springs label, is in the final process of upgrading the plant, which will dramatically improve its capacity," Wright said. "At that time, we expect those sales to increase."

Hawaiian Airlines sees 6.1% passenger drop-off

Hawaiian Airlines said it carried 437,064 passengers on its scheduled operations in April, down 6.1 percent from 465,370 in April 2001. Hawaiian also carried 24,531 passengers on charter flights last month, down 24.9 percent from 32,681 a year earlier.

In the scheduled operations, including interisland, mainland-Hawaii and Hawaii-South Pacific services, Hawaiian decreased its total capacity by 5.3 percent and ended up with a load factor -- the percentage of available seats occupied by paying passengers -- of 78.6 percent last month, down half a point from 79.1 percent in April 2001.

No insurance grounds hot air balloon flights

WAIMEA >> Hawaii's only commercial hot air balloon operator hopes to be getting off the ground again soon.

Paradise Balloons suspended flights over Park Ranch on the Big Island on April 15 because of the withdrawal of its liability insurance carrier.

Paul Costa, the operation's marketing director, said General Star Insurance pulled its coverage after deciding the field the company used was too small.

Paradise Balloons is exploring other insurance coverage options so operations can resume, Costa said.

Paradise, which began offering flights in December, has a license to operate on ranch land.

Paradise Balloons was offering $240 five-hour sunrise excursions that included transportation, a champagne celebration at the end of the flight and breakfast, said Diane Quitiquit, vice president of marketing and development for Park Ranch.