Pacific Wings upset over airline deal

Maui-based commuter airline Pacific Wings has asked the U.S. Department of Transportation to extend its deadline for comments on the application by Hawaiian and Aloha airlines for a limited anti-trust exemption to coordinate airline capacity.

Pacific Wings President Greg Kahlstorf said the company has asked for a two-week extension of the public comment period established by the DOT.

Because Pacific Wings is the only other competing airline offering scheduled interisland service in Hawaii, it would be directly affected by any changes proposed by the two airlines, Kahlstorf said.

The company was not served with a copy of the Hawaiian-Aloha July 31 joint application even though most U.S. carriers were sent copies, he said.

Pacific Wings learned of the filing, which requires interested parties to comment within 15 days, six days after it had been sent to the DOT, Kahlstorf said.

"This exemption will forever change the way people live, work and travel in Hawaii. We believe it is important for the communities and competitors who will be affected to have input on such an important decision," he said.

HotU partners with online job board

Local technology firm hotU Inc., which specializes in software for the higher education market, will partner with TrueCareers, an online job board that provides hiring companies with pre-screened candidates.

The companies plan to develop a new software product called Interactive Career Fair, which will bring together HotU's higher education chat software with TrueCareers' resume search and job-posting technology. It will allow more of the recruiting process to be moved online. Employers will be able to both screen candidates and interact with them online.

The product becomes available in September.