Take interisland ferry instead of plane?

The pending merger of Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines is pushing interest in an interisland ferry system, according to the chairman of the state Senate Transportation Committee.

Sen. Cal Kawamoto said that if any companies are interested, lawmakers will listen.

One company, Rainbow Island Express, said it could start an interisland ferry system transporting passengers and their cars within two years. It said rates would be competitive with the airlines.

State transportation planner Julia Tsumoto said the state is considering proposals for a roll-on/roll-off system similar to those in mainland cities such as Seattle, Wash., where passengers drive their cars onto a ferry, sail across Puget Sound and drive off to their destination.

She said the state also has been talking with operators to initiate a west Oahu-to-Honolulu commuter ferry.

Talks about interisland and commuter ferries are in the “preliminary concept stage,” Tsumoto said.

William E. “Matt” Dillon, president of Rainbow Transportation, parent company of Rainbow Island Express, said his company wants to operate the commuter and interisland ferry systems because the commuter ferry alone would not be profitable. With profits from the interisland ferry, Rainbow would not need any state or federal subsidy, he said.

Dillon added his company also is exploring the possibility of running a ferry from Hawai’i Kai to downtown Honolulu with a Waikiki stop.

Plans announced last week for merging Aloha and Hawaiian, the only interisland airlines, has raised consumer concerns about the impact of a single carrier on the cost of tickets for flying, and the number of available flights, between Kaua’i and other islands.

The merger is expected to take effect in the first half of next year.

Officials of the group proposing the merger have indicated support for guaranteeing fares and flights.