BUSINESS BRIEFS
Hawaiian Air raises fuel surcharge
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Hawaiian Airlines yesterday said it is increasing the fuel surcharge by $20 each way on its Mainland and international flights in response to the continuing escalation in fuel costs resulting from record oil prices.
Effective immediately for travel starting Monday, the one-way surcharge will rise to $120 from $100 on flights to and from the Mainland, to $130 from $110 on flights to and from American Samoa, and to $140 from $120 on flights to and from Tahiti.
"The relentless rise in fuel costs leaves us with no choice but to pass some of these increasing costs on to the consumer," said Keoni Wagner, Hawaiian's vice president of public affairs.
BIDS FAIL TO MEET GOLF COURSE'S DEBT
An affiliate of New York-based real estate financing firm Gramercy Capital Corp. is keeping Makalei Golf Club and adjacent land planned for a housing subdivision on the Big Island after a foreclosure confirmation hearing failed to drum up another acceptable buyer.
The Circuit Court hearing Thursday in Hilo attracted three other bidders, but they didn't bid high enough to pay off a $23 million debt on the property held by Gramercy, which bid $12.9 million to keep the asset.
The confirmation hearing followed a foreclosure auction in May at which only one other bidder made an offer under $5.5 million.
The golf course and adjacent land, mauka of the private luxury Kuki'o residential subdivision and golf club, cover more than 1,500 acres of agriculture-zoned property approved for about 180 single-family home lots.
Once part of Huehue Ranch, the property was envisioned in the late 1980s as an agricultural subdivision integrating homes with a golf course, tennis club, cattle ranch and equestrian facilities. But only the golf course was built.
Three years ago, an affiliate of San Francisco-based Lynch Investments LLC bought the property with a plan to develop house lots and upgrade the golf course, but defaulted on its loan.
3 COMPANIES IN ON CHINESE TOURS
Three Hawai'i tour companies are among the first U.S.-based tour companies approved by the National Tour Association to organize and conduct inbound group leisure travel from China to the United States.
The three Hawai'i companies are China Travel Bureau Inc. Galaxy Tour Inc.-Honolulu and Pan Pacific Enterprises Group Inc.
"These three companies are NTA members in good standing that also (have) agreed to additional China-related criteria enabling them to participate in this program," said NTA President Lisa Simon CTP. NTA is a trade organization for thousands of tourism professionals involved in the growth and development of the packaged travel industry.
In December 2007, the United States and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding that provides the necessary framework to permit Chinese group leisure travel to the U.S. The first Chinese tourists are expected to arrive in the United States June 17.
CLUB MONACO OPENING MALL OUTLET
Fashion apparel retailer Club Monaco said its first Hawai'i store will open at Ala Moana Center July 11.
The 4,200-square-foot store will be a flagship location for the brand known for producing largely black-and-white collections of men's and women's clothing.
The Ala Moana Club Monaco will be one of about 115 stores around the world for the company, which was founded in Canada in 1985 and acquired by Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. in 1999.
