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HAWAII
HVCB offers marketing support for Taipei flights

Following the recent announcement that China Airlines is bringing back twice-weekly direct flights between Honolulu and Taipei on July 17, the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau is providing marketing support for Taiwan's travel sellers and suppliers.

The flights had been discontinued in April 2001, and they are being reinstated on a three-month trial.

The bureau's immediate plan includes developing promotions and partnerships to boost Hawaii tourism.

Boeing extends Hawaiian lease

Hawaiian Airlines said yesterday it has reached agreement with Boeing Capital Corp. on a second 30-day extension in which the aircraft lessor cannot take any action to repossess the 16 planes -- 13 Boeing 717s and three Boeing 767s -- leased by the airline.

The existing extension, which falls under Section 1110 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, previously was scheduled to lapse next Friday. It now has been extended to July 31.

Hawaiian, which filed for Chapter 11 reorganization bankruptcy on March 21 and is operating under trustee John Monahan, last week reached a similar extension agreement with lessor International Lease Finance Corp. The agreement with ILFC involving four 767s was extended until July 21.

The airline signed a restructured agreement with its other lessor, Ansett Worldwide, last month.

MAINLAND
Martha Stewart trial set for Jan. 12

U.S. District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum set Martha Stewart's trial date for Jan. 12 yesterday, granting the request of defense attorneys who said they needed plenty of time to review the evidence.

Stewart is accused of lying to investigators and deceiving her own company's shareholders during a probe into her sale of nearly 4,000 shares of ImClone Systems stock. She and stockbroker Peter Bacanovic have pleaded innocent.

Airlines want federal relief

Protecting air travelers from terrorists is the government's job and airlines should not have to collect up to $10 per passenger for security, an airline executive said yesterday.

But the chairman of the House aviation subcommittee said he would try to make sure the airlines do collect the fee.

Congress in April temporarily lifted a passenger fee imposed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to pay for security screeners, bomb-detection machines and other measures. The holiday from the fee was part of a $2.9 billion relief package for the airline industry.

Leo Mullin, chief executive of Delta Air Lines, said protecting air travelers from terrorists is not the airlines' responsibility.

Compromise reached in PG&E bankruptcy

A federal bankruptcy judge unveiled a compromise deal that would lift Pacific Gas and Electric Co. out of insolvency. The plan immediately drew fire from consumer groups and Gov. Gray Davis as being too expensive for customers and too lenient on the corporation.

The proposed reorganization plan, crafted in confidential negotiations, would allow creditors of the San Francisco-based utility to be paid in full, lower electricity rates starting next year, and end lawsuits between PG&E and state regulators.

The utility, California's largest with 4.6 million customers, has been tussling with state regulators over opposing plans that would let it emerge from the bankruptcy protection it sought in April 2001 amid the state's energy crisis.

Engage seeks to sell assets in bankruptcy

Engage Inc., which makes software for online advertisers, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy court protection and seeks to sell its assets to closely held Scene7 Inc. for $1.2 million.

Under the agreement, Scene7 would assume $650,000 to $850,000 in liabilities, Andover, Mass.-based Engage said in a statement. The transaction, which is subject to bankruptcy court and regulatory approval, is expected to close this summer. Engage, which hasn't made a profit since its July 1999 initial public offering, said it probably won't have money to repay shareholders. The company hasn't completed a reorganization plan, though it plans to continue operations.