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Transportation

New Plane Here, Limited Booking Available

Wednesday, July 27th, 2022

New Plane Here, Limited Booking Available

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Mokulele’s new 30-seat plane made its first landing with passengers on Molokai last week Thursday, and limited booking online is currently available at Jettly. 

The twin turboprop Saab 340, operated under Mokulele’s parent company Southern Airways, is the first of two larger aircraft the company is bringing in to primarily serve Molokai and Lanai. Mokulele Chief of Staff Keith Sisson said the second plane will mainly be a reserve aircraft but on special occasions, both may be on the flight line at the same time. 

“We are not going to publish a full schedule until the reserve plane arrives in September,” said Sisson.…

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New Plane is Almost Here

Wednesday, July 6th, 2022

New Plane is Almost Here

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

A larger plane is on its way to expand Mokulele’s fleet for Molokai passengers. The first of two twin turboprop aircraft, the 30-seat Saab 340, arrived in Hawaii last week. The new plane, being flown under Mokulele’s parent company, Southern Airways, may be making its first landings on Molokai as soon as next week, Richard Schuman, Mokulele’s executive vice president, shared on social media. But that will be during a training phase — tickets are expected to be available starting at the end of the month. 

The plane, brought on board by the company specifically to serve Molokai, will more easily accommodate wheelchair-bound residents and passengers of size.…

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Larger Planes Still Coming to Mokulele

Thursday, February 24th, 2022

Larger Planes Still Coming to Mokulele

Mokulele’s promised larger aircraft are still on their way to Molokai, just later than planned. The first of two twin turboprop aircraft is currently being repainted by an aircraft maintenance company, said Richard Schuman, executive vice president of Mokulele Hawaii. The 30-seat Saab 340 planes – brought on board by the company specifically to serve Molokai – will more easily accommodate wheelchair-bound residents and passengers of size.

The aircraft’s arrival has been delayed from the originally announced estimate of last fall. More recently, Mokulele said it was coming in January. Now, Schuman estimates it will be flying before the summer but doesn’t want to disappoint again.…

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Kalaupapa Barge Day

Thursday, September 30th, 2021

Kalaupapa Barge Day

By The Molokai Dispatch Staff

Kalaupapa’s once a year barge arrived at the peninsula on Saturday, Sept. 11 bringing nonperishable food, gas, equipment, building supplies, vehicles and other essentials to the remote settlement. Rose Hartman captured this photo of the barge’s approach to Kalaupapa along the cliffs on her flight from Honolulu to Molokai via Kalaupapa. …

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Molokai Holokai Goes Virtual

Wednesday, July 7th, 2021

Molokai Holokai Goes Virtual

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Like every other sporting event last year, COVID-19 cancelled the annual 2020 Molokai Holokai, a paddling competition of friendly fun for locals as well as acclaimed paddlers and stand up paddlers of all ages. The pandemic also cancelled this summer’s event due to state rules and restrictions, said organizer Clare Albino. But then she decided to try something different – a virtual competition.

“Participants can make their own course in any place, anywhere in the world to make their distances and even break it down in stages and or days,” said Albino, explaining participants upload pictures and times to a virtual leader board, allowing the event to continue during a window that’s open right now.…

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Interisland Travel Now Unrestricted

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

For the first time in months, there are no Safe Travels screeners greeting arrivals to the Molokai Airport. Travelers may come and go interisland freely without going through a litany of testing, quarantine procedures, forms, QR codes and other protocols, as of June 15. The ending of regulations for travel within Hawaii marks one of several to the Emergency Revised Rules the governor made last week.

Individuals who have been fully vaccinated in the state of Hawaii are also no longer required to do a pre-travel test when traveling from the U.S. mainland. However, visitors from the continental U.S.…

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‘Ohana by Hawaiian Not Returning

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2021

‘Ohana by Hawaiian Not Returning

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

‘Ohana by Hawaiian, which had temporarily suspended flights to Molokai in January, announced it is permanently closing operations. The passenger service previously offered flights between Honolulu and Molokai and Lanai, as well as cargo service.

Hawaiian Airlines cited a severe decline in travel demand from the COVID-19 pandemic and state and county quarantine measures triggering a labor provision that led to the temporary suspension of passenger and cargo flights early this year. Hawaiian representatives said the company decided to permanently end service following an in-depth assessment of the overall operation and its long-term viability.

“This is a heartbreaking decision, particularly for those of us who were involved in launching the business in 2014,” said Peter Ingram, president and CEO at Hawaiian Airlines.…

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19-Person Plane Starting Service This Fall

Wednesday, May 12th, 2021

19-Person Plane Starting Service This Fall

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Come this fall, a larger plane will once again be servicing Molokai travelers. Mokulele’s parent company, Southern Airways, will be bringing in a 19-passenger Beechcraft 1900 aircraft to offer two roundtrips to Honolulu from Molokai and Lanai most weekdays initially, the airline announced.

Tickets will be available starting this summer to begin service in the fall, pending the approval of the Dept. of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration.

The pressurized, twin-engine turboprop aircraft will allow kupuna and those with limited mobility greater ease in boarding and moving in the cabin, said Mokulele Chief Marketing Officer Keith Sisson.…

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MEO Rides for Maunaloa Post Office Customers

Wednesday, March 17th, 2021

MEO News Release

The temporary closure of the Maunaloa Post Office prompted Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) to establish bus runs to help Molokai West End residents collect their mail from the Ho’olehua Post Office.

The U.S. Postal Service announced the temporary closure of the post office at 2 Maunaloa Road, Building 2, due to structural and vector control issues on Feb. 24. The leased structure, which had been open weekdays, houses post office boxes for about 240 customers; the post office does not offer street mail delivery, USPS said in a news release.

Maunaloa Post Office mail can be picked up at the back door of the Ho’olehua Post Office, 69-2 Puupeelua Ave.…

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No Passenger Weight Limit for Mokulele

Thursday, February 4th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Mokulele Airlines, the only air carrier left serving Molokai, has removed their weight limit for passengers, when previously, those weighing more than 400 pounds were restricted from flying on their aircraft.

“In response to the need to fly passengers-of-size, Mokulele has worked with engineers to provide a special double-seat, capable of carrying a passenger weighing over 400 pounds,” stated in the airline in a press release last week. “The seat is twice the size of normal seats and will be installed prior to each flight on an as-needed basis.”

Passengers weighing more than 400 pounds must travel on flights prior to 8 a.m.…

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