HAWAII

Interisland airfares drop again

A day after dropping one-way fares to $28 for travel between Honolulu and Kahului during February, all three major interisland carriers said yesterday that they are lowering fares on other routes.

Mokulele Airlines said it will lower its fare to $39 for travel to Kona and Lihue from Honolulu, while go! and Hawaiian Airlines lowered their one-way fare to $38 for travel on those routes through the end of February. The lowest fare on those routes recently was $48.

Hawaiian also said it will offer a $39 fare to Kahului starting March 1.

Marriott opens Napili Villas

Marriott Vacation Club International has announced the opening of the Napili Villas, the final expansion phase of Marriott's Maui Ocean Club, as well as the fourth phase opening for Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club on Oahu.

Opening in late January 2009, the Napili Villas will offer 71 two- and three-bedroom villas, ranging from 1,200 to 1,700 square feet. The Napili Villas are the final of two purpose-built additions that will bring Marriott's Maui Ocean Club to a total of 459 suites and villas upon build-out.

The new phase at Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club reveals 114 additional two- and three-bedroom villas, ranging from 1,280 to 1,600 square feet.

NATION

Strike hurts 2008 Boeing deliveries

PITTSBURGH » Hurt by an autumn strike and shrinking airline demand, Boeing Co.'s passenger jet deliveries fell 15 percent in 2008, ensuring that archrival Airbus retained its rank as the world's top plane maker.

Orders for Boeing planes, meanwhile, plunged by more than half last year, following three straight years of exceptionally strong bookings.

Boeing, the world's second-largest plane manufacturer after Airbus, has blamed an eight-week strike by machinists and other production glitches for delaying the delivery of new jetliners.