BUSINESS BRIEFS
go! says planes two-thirds full
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Interisland carrier go! said its planes were nearly two-thirds full during the month of December.
The airline's 66 percent load factor for December was slightly higher than in the previous month when go!'s planes were 63.7 percent full. Go!, a unit of Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group, said it served a total of 58,437 passengers last month, which is up 1.8 percent from November's 57,383.
Competitor Hawaiian Airlines, which has not yet reported its December traffic figures, typically reports load factors of 80 percent or better. Hawaiian's figures include its flights to the Mainland. Aloha does not disclose its load factors.
GROUNDBREAKING FOR TRUMP HOTEL
A groundbreaking ceremony and blessing is scheduled for the Trump International Hotel & Tower Waikiki Beach Walk tomorrow.
The 10:30 a.m. event at Kalia and Saratoga roads will mark the start of construction of the 38-story tower, slated for completion in 2009.
The site was previously cleared of older buildings to make way for the tower, being developed by Irongate Capital and Donald Trump.
All 464 hotel-condominium units in the project were sold in November for a rough total of $700 million, or about $1.5 million on average.
CAPITAL AWARD TO HOANA MEDICAL
The Hawaii Venture Capital Association has given Hoana Medical Inc. the group's Venture Capital Deal of the Year Award, which will be presented at a luncheon on Jan. 25 at the Plaza Club in Downtown Honolulu.
Honolulu-based Hoana raised $20.9 million in its latest round of financing.
The medical device company has developed technology that monitors physiological conditions without the need for leads, electrodes or cuffs.
To date, Hoana has raised nearly $40 million in private equity along with $12 million in federal money for clinical evaluation and testing.
The HVCA was established in 1988.
