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Island Air continues adding more flights

Interisland commuter carrier Island Air is adding a new Hilo-Kona route, hoping that road-weary Big Islanders will opt for the 21-minute, $38.52 flight instead of a drive that can take three hours.

The flight will debut Jan. 10, along with a new route between Kona and Lihue, Kauai. The Kona-Lihue flight is offered at $204.87.

The airline also intends to add one additional daily round-trip flight each to its Kona-Kahului, Hilo-Kahului, and Hilo-Lihue routes, as well as another one-way flight from Lihue to Kahului. It will also adjust some departure times of existing flights.

Expanding since it was sold this year by the parent company of Aloha Airlines, Island Air now offers 93 daily flights throughout the state.

Island Insurance exec to retire

Linda Gilchrist is retiring as president of Island Insurance Co. and will be replaced by John F. Schapperle, the company's executive vice president, starting Saturday.

Gilchrist will continue to serve as a company board director, Island Insurance said.

Schapperle joined Island Insurance this year after serving as vice president of RLI, a national specialty insurance company. He has more than 33 years in the property and casualty insurance industry.

UH group offers discount card

An organization created by the University of Hawaii Entrepreneurship Club will release a discount card next semester designed to help the flood-ravaged Hamilton Library.

More than 20 companies have signed up to offer discounts for the card, which will be sold for $5 on campus starting Jan. 10. The group behind the card, qpqp LLC, is composed of UH students and recent graduates, and a portion of the profits will go to help the library recovery.

Those who buy the card will also get a coupon book. For more information, visit www.qpqpcard.com.