IN HAWAII

Hawaiian Airlines capacity increases

Hawaiian Airlines said it had 22 percent more capacity in its scheduled services last month than it had in August 2001, as measured by available seat miles. The main reason for the rise was new mainland-Hawaii services added this year.

An increase in the number of passengers did not quite match the increase in seats. August revenue passenger miles, the number of paying passengers times the number of miles they flew, were up 20.9 percent from August 2001. The result was a dip in load factor (seats filled compared to seats available) to 82.3 percent last month from 83 percent in the previous August.

Total August passenger business was up 3.2 percent from last year, with 571,199 passengers carried compared to 553,414 in August 2001. The monthly numbers apply to Hawaiian's total system, combining figures from mainland-Hawaii, interisland and Hawaii-South Pacific flights.

The figures don't include charter business, which was down sharply, mostly because of the loss of a Los Angeles-Tahiti operation run for Renaissance Cruises, which stopped the operation two weeks after Sept. 11.

Condo management firm nationally ranked

A Hawaii-based condominium management business, Hawaiiana Management Co., is among the top 50 companies in the nation, rated by the number of units and total square footage overseen, according to a national trade publication, Commercial Property News.

Managing 53,000 units totaling 38 million square feet, in both tourist and residential uses, Hawaiiana ranked 38th of the 50 the magazine listed. National firms with local connections or affiliates, such as CB Richard Ellis Inc. (5th place), the unconnected Grubb & Ellis Co. (11th) and Ala Moana Center owner General Growth Properties Inc. (14th) ranked higher.

Hawaiiana, which says it works for more than 350 condominium and community associations with a total portfolio value of $6.6 billion, was the only Hawaii on the list to do all its business in Hawaii.

Court lets stand ruling against Tatibouet

The Hawaii Supreme Court decided last week to let stand an arbitration panel's decision against former Aston Hotels & Resorts owner Andre Tatibouet and in favor of a former president of Aston, J.W. Ellsworth.

In a complex dispute over Ellsworth's dismissal in 1993, Ellsworth sued Tatibouet and Aston over termination benefits, which Ellsworth said should have included compensation for him from the sale of some mainland hotels he helped Aston parent Hotel Corp. of the Pacific to buy.

Arbitrators ruled in favor of Ellsworth, saying Tatibouet should pay him $3 million, and a state Circuit Court decision in 1999 confirmed that ruling. Tatibouet appealed and the high court Thursday ruled against him. Tatibouet was later fired by ResortQuest International, which had acquired Aston.

IN THE PACIFIC

Matson raises rates for Guam and Saipan

HAGATNA, Guam >> Matson Navigation Co. is seeking an increase in tariffs at Guam, Saipan, Tinian and Rota that would increase port-to-port shipping rates by about 3 percent.

Matson has filed its proposed rate increase petition with the federal Surface Transportation Board, the company said in a letter to customers last week.

The general increase in tariffs would be the first by the shipping company since it first began serving the Pacific islands of Guam, Saipan, Tinian and Rota in February 1996, Matson said.

The ocean carrier has raised costs to customers in other forms, including an increase in fuel surcharge from 3.25 percent to 4.75 percent in May.

The general rate increase will help offset higher operating costs and support ongoing investments, according to Matson.