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Hawaiian wants to send back jets

Hawaiian Airlines yesterday asked the federal Bankruptcy Court to let it cancel the lease on one of its Boeing 717 interisland jets, which it says it no longer needs because of a reduction in its interisland schedule.

The company, which filed for bankruptcy reorganization in March, wants to return the aircraft and two Rolls-Royce engines to lessor Boeing Capital Corp. Tom Roesser, an attorney for Hawaiian, said Hawaiian also will continue to seek permission to return another 717 to Boeing. Hawaiian says maintaining equipment it doesn't need is too costly.

Meanwhile, in a Thursday hearing, Bankruptcy Judge Robert Faris granted a sixth extension, until Dec. 15, of the deadline for Hawaiian and Boeing Capital to complete lease restructuring talks about the 14 other aircraft Hawaiian leases from Boeing. They are 11 Boeing 717s in interisland service and three Boeing 767s in mainland-Hawaii and Hawaii-South Pacific service.

Agency names 2003 top employer

Network Enterprises Inc. has been named Outstanding Employer for 2003 by the Oahu branch of the Vocational Rehabilitation and Services for the Blind, a division of the state Department of Human Services.

The private, nonprofit, community rehabilitation program is being recognized for its work in securing employment for disabled people. Since its incorporation in 1985, Network Enterprises has trained more than 5,000 disadvantaged people and placed them in jobs.

Hawaiian adds e-ticket partner

Hawaiian Airlines, moving ahead in its plan to have paperless ticketing with all its airline partners, announced a new electronic ticketing arrangement with Alaska Airlines.

Customers of Alaska Airlines and its affiliate Horizon Air can book trips connecting with Hawaiian from the West Coast to Hawaii, interisland and beyond and get a single e-ticket.

The same applies to people traveling from Hawaii to Alaska in trips that include both airlines. The Hawaiian-Alaska arrangement is the fourth of its kind for Hawaiian, which has similar deals with American, United and Northwest airlines.

Hawaiian said it intends to convert all of its remaining interline connections to e-ticketing. Hawaiian has code-sharing agreements with a number of other airlines, including America West.