A citizens group claims it’s building momentum in a campaign against the proposed merger of Hawaiian Airlines and Aloha Airlines. Citizens for Competitive Air Travel said last week that its anti-merger petitions have been signed by several hundred people, and
A citizens group claims it’s building momentum in a campaign against the proposed merger of Hawaiian Airlines and Aloha Airlines.
Citizens for Competitive Air Travel said last week that its anti-merger petitions have been signed by several hundred people, and a web site to garner more support was expected to be operating in a few days.
“A fork-lift or two full of petition documents might help the governor understand our concerns,” said Richard Rogers, a spokesman for the group and a captain for Hawaiian. He was referring to governmental approval that the merger requires.
Rogers said the group wants “to stop the merger of our two local airlines from occurring and inform the traveling public of the inconveniences and difficulties they will be facing if the merger goes through.”
He said the group is getting advice from lawyers about possible illegalities of the proposed merger.
TurnWorks, a company formed to carry out the merger, which could be complete by mid-year, has promised lower published fares than what’s charged now by either of the airlines. It also says it will guarantee a combined 30 percent of passenger seats at rates of $55 to $60 for Hawaii residents.
But Citizens for Competitive Air Travel noted that TurnWorks also has announced it will reduce the number of inter-island flights. TurnWorks said little-used flights will be the casualties. The citizens group, however, believes the cutback will take service away from “outer-island residents and business people that need to travel on short notice,” said Rogers.
With only one inter-island airline, “where will that leave the traveling public” if employees go on strike? he wondered.
Although airline officials and some government leaders have indicated Aloha won’t survive without a merger, Rogers questioned whether Aloha has considered adopting business practices which pulled Hawaiian “out of the same situation just a few years ago.”
Rogers also said public opinion is against a merger, judging from editorials, letters to the editor and news coverage in newspapers. “I have yet to read about any travel group or business association in the state, except those who will directly profit from the
merger, in favor of such a deal,” he said.
Stockholders also may vote against a merger, he suggested.
Aloha employees who favor the merger are trying to save their jobs, Rogers said, while the public is wondering about the future of “monopolized” inter-island air travel.
“We are told that Turnworks will keep the commitment to servicing existing routes and cargo contracts, for a somewhat specified time. What we are not told is that they plan to draw far more than the $130 million that Hawaiian Airlines has in the bank today. After the profits have been divided and taken out of Hawaii, they have stated that they will seek federally guaranteed loans. Well, federally guaranteed loans only come after employees make work-rules concessions,” Rogers said, adding that Hawaiian workers have made concessions to in the past.
Greg Brenneman, head of TurnWorks, last week revealed a plan for protecting employees who belong to certain unions if they approve the merger and a new contract. But layoffs and furloughs will still be necessary if the merger goes through, he said.
At least one state legislator from Kauai, Rep. Ezra Kanoho, has said legislative action is possible on behalf of airline employees and the public to protect their interests in a merger.
Editor Pat Jenkins can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 227) and mailto:pjenkins@pulitzer.net
