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United Air to add Japan-Hawaii flights

United Airlines will add a second daily flight between Tokyo-Narita and Honolulu this summer due to increased demand.

The additional flight will bring United's Japan-Hawaii service to three flights a day and addresses rising consumer demand in both the Japan-Hawaii market and the broader Pacific region, said Graham Atkinson, senior vice president at United.

Flights are available for booking Feb. 10 with travel starting on June 11.

Former hotel owner fined

Pacific Rim Partners LLC, former owner of the Islander on the Beach Hotel on Kauai, has been fined $104,425 by the Environmental Protection Agency for asbestos violations.

The fine was the result of a 1999 complaint that alleged the company violated EPA regulations concerning the emission, handling and disposal of asbestos, as well as record-keeping and notification requirements.

Individuals exposed to the carcinogen asbestos can develop cancer.

Japanese bakery opens

Ginza Kimuraya Tokyo Bakery & Cafe opened to the public at Kahala Mall yesterday. It is the first United States location for the 135-year-old Japan company.

"We are proud to bring the flavors of Japan to Hawaii," said spokesman Roger Tsubokawa.

Its signature item is an pan, or bread filled with sweet bean paste, but the bakery also makes about 40 different types of pastries and 10 varieties of loaf breads.

When staffing is completed, the bakery and cafe will employ 20 people.

Hawaii doctors get high marks

Hawaii's health insurance plans got mostly high marks in a member survey released yesterday by the state Insurance Commissioner, J.P. Schmidt.

The study was part of a nationwide member assessment of health plans required by law. In Hawaii, independent researchers randomly selected members from Hawaii Management Alliance Association, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Health Plan Hawaii, Kaiser Permanente and University Health Alliance. Those plans cover nearly 847,000 members.

Plan members gave high marks to their own doctors and staff members. All five plans got four-star ratings for their physicians. Four stars means a plan performed within the top 10 percent of plans nationwide. Areas where plans scored less well mostly related to categories such as access to specialist care and getting care quickly.

Detailed survey information can be found on the Insurance Division's Internet site at www.hawaii.gov/dcca/ins/health.html. Click on "Health Plan Consumer Satisfaction Survey."

Retailer Circuit City to close 19 stores

Consumer-electronics chain Circuit City Stores Inc. yesterday said it plans to close 19 stores by the end of the month as it struggles with falling sales.

The chain's single Hawaii store, at Pearlridge Center, was not on the list.

The company has been struggling with sales declines as it works through a store remodeling project.

The cost of the closings will lower earnings for the company's latest quarter by $35 million, Circuit City said.

Airline traffic up 3.6% in January

Total January passenger traffic for 18 U.S. airlines rose 3.6 percent to 49.19 billion revenue passenger miles from 47.47 billion a year earlier. A revenue passenger mile equals one paying passenger carried one mile.

The January load factor, the average percentage of available seats that are filled with paying passengers on each flight, rose 1.4 points to 68.1 percent from 66.7 percent a year ago.

January available seat miles, a measure of total capacity, rose 1.6 percent to 72.26 billion miles from 71.15 billion a year earlier.

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[Hawaii Inc.]

Promotions

>> First Hawaiian Bank has promoted the following to vice president: Lorraine H. Aoki, real estate systems and procedures; Warren T. Higa, business services; Marianne M. O. Kimura, commercial real estate; Lily L. Liu, card services, credit and risk management; David K. Marchant, Kapiolani banking center; George M. Yamasaki Jr., consumer loan collection; and Michael M. Shimote, applications and database. Newly hired vice presidents are: Gail F. Nakama, main banking center; Cynthia G. Wahlin, Kona branch personal trust; and Julie Young-Mahone, trust business development.

Recognition

>> Thanita Pakjamsai and Desiree Higa, Hawaii Pacific University College of Communication graduate students, have been awarded first and third place respectively for their logo designs in the 2004 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication convention in Toronto, Canada. Pakjamsai receives $200 for her winning entry. Her logo will be used on all AEJMC publications throughout the year.

>> Hawaiian Humane Society has presented the Chairperson's Award to Ellen M. Koenig Memorial Fund for its support of humane education, adoptions and pet identification programs. Helen Kinau Wilder Friendship Awards were given to Tom N. Cesar, for rescuing a kitten stranded in the middle of rush-hour traffic; CrimeStoppers for creating the Animal CrimeStoppers program; and Steve Van Ribbink, for trying to protect a dog at Waimanalo Beach Park that was being drowned by its owner.

>> Shelly Campbell of RE/MAX Honolulu has received the President's Award from the Council of Residential Specialists at the national real estate organization's inaugural dinner, held Nov. 8 in San Francisco. She has been a CRS regional vice president for the past four years.