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Tongan airline enters market

Royal Tongan Airlines is introducing a weekly round-trip flight between Honolulu and Auckland, New Zealand, with a stop in Tonga, the airline said yesterday.

The service, beginning Dec. 19, marks Royal Tongan's entry into the Hawai'i market. The airline now serves Hawai'i through code-sharing agreements with Air New Zealand and Polynesian Airlines.

The 166-seat Boeing 757 will depart Honolulu at 11:40 p.m. every Thursday and arrive in Tonga at 4:40 a.m. Saturday, continuing to Auckland to arrive at 7:30 a.m., said Alfred Resch, the airline's general manager for North America, in Honolulu.

The return flight will arrive in Honolulu at 10:30 p.m. on Thursdays, he said.

Hotels win 'green' awards

Hilton Hawaiian Village, Kahala Mandarin Oriental and Mauna Lani Resort are being recognized today for environmentally responsible business practices.

The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, with the State Department of Health and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, will present its First Annual Green Business Awards today at the governor's office.

The Green Business program focuses initially on hotels because of the environmental impact of tourism. Other participants include the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Hawaiian Electric Co., City and County of Honolulu Recycling Office and Hawaii Hotel Association.