Ryanair wants to charge toilet fee

BRUSSELS, Belgium » Keen to cut costs, budget airline Ryanair says it wants passengers to pay to use the toilets on its short flights within Europe.

The airline also says aircraft manufacturer Boeing Co. does not want to fulfill Ryanair's request for planes with more seats and fewer toilets because it believes that would compromise passenger safety.

Ryanair Chief Executive Officer Michael O'Leary says he still hopes to convince Boeing that removing two toilets and adding six seats would not slow down emergency evacuations.

A Boeing spokeswoman said the company does not discuss conversations it has with customers.

Advertiser employees get job offers

Most employees of the Honolulu Advertiser have received employment offers from a company set up by Oahu Publications Inc. as part of its plan to acquire the Advertiser.

The at-will job offers sent yesterday by HA Management Inc. said many Advertiser employees would be expected to perform the same duties they are performing for Gannett Co., owner of the Advertiser. Workers must sign the job offers by Tuesday.

Oahu Publications, owner of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, is expected to close its purchase of the Advertiser and its related assets on April 25.

Wayne Cahill, spokesman for the Hawaii Newspaper and Printing Trades Council and administrative officer of the Hawaii Newspaper Guild, said Advertiser employees have been advised not to sign the offers prior to legal review.

Meanwhile, Monday is the deadline for bidders to submit binding offers for the Star-Bulletin. If a buyer is not found, the papers will be merged and layoffs will occur. The Advertiser has about 600 employees, with 120 people in the newsroom. The Star-Bulletin and MidWeek have about 300 employees, with about 75 in the newsroom.

Alaska adds Portland-Honolulu flight

Alaska Airlines is adding a second nonstop flight between Portland, Ore., and Hawaii. Year-round daily service to Honolulu will begin Sept. 20. The airline already flies between Portland and Maui.

Flights will be available for booking tomorrow. Alaska will use Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with 157 seats, for the new route.

Marriott is named Marketer of Year

Marriott Resorts Hawaii was honored as Hawaii Marketer of the Year at the American Marketing Association's annual Hawaii Marketer of the Year Awards Luncheon yesterday.

Marriott was recognized for its bus tour across the mainland promoting its brand and Hawaii as a destination, as well as its “;Tweet Yourself to Hawaii”; sweepstakes.

The luncheon, held at the Hawai'i Convention Center, also honored Aloha Air Cargo for Best Marketing of a New Product or Service, the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation for Best Nonprofit Marketing, and Bank of Hawaii for Best E-marketing.

Tesoro says isle output not increased

Tesoro Corp., the largest independent refiner on the U.S. West Coast, has not increased production at its Kapolei plant, a company spokesman said yesterday.

“;We have said that we would supply our needs in Washington from some of our other refineries on the West Coast, which include facilities in Alaska, Hawaii, and two in California,”; Lynn Westfall said yesterday in an e-mail. “;We have not been specific on which locations would be part of this supply.”;

Tesoro said Monday it would temporarily halt operations at its Anacortes, Wash., plant because of damage to crude processing equipment in an April 2 explosion that killed six workers.

KITV-TV reported that Tesoro would increase output from the Kapolei plant. Westfall said that report “;is incorrect at this time.”;

Midwest Air out, Frontier in

MINNEAPOLIS » The Midwest Airlines name is going away.

Republic Airways Holdings Inc., which owns both Midwest and Frontier Airlines, said yesterday that it will use the Frontier name for its traditional airline business. The name of the company remains Republic.

ON THE MOVE

A&B Properties has hired Jenifer L. Bradley as asset manager. She was previously vice president with Colliers Monroe Friedlander Management Inc. as well as property management supervisor at Castle & Cooke Properties, property manager at R&J Services and general manager at Waikele Premium Outlets on Oahu.

The Association of Legal Administrators Hawaii Chapter has announced its 2010-11 board of directors: Kimberley Manning, president; Patricia Yoshimoto, president-elect; Ann Hisamoto, immediate past-president; Diane Sherman, secretary; and Lori Isaki, treasurer.

Sales and Marketing Executives International, Honolulu chapter, has named Steven Ai and Carol Ai May as joint recipients of “;Salesperson of the Year”; awards for 2009. Ai is president and chief executive officer and May is vice president and marketing manager of City Mill Co.