Letters policy

The Advertiser welcomes letters in good taste on any subject. Priority is given to letters exclusive to The Advertiser.

All letters must be accompanied by the writer's true name, address and daytime telephone number, should be on a single subject and kept to 200 words or fewer. Letters of any length are subject to trimming and editing.

Writers are limited to one letter per 30 days.

All letters and articles submitted to The Advertiser may be published or distributed in print, electronic and other forms.

E-mail: letters@honoluluadvertiser.com

Fax: 535-2415

Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110 Honolulu, HI 96802

ALOHA AIRLINES

AIRLINE'S LOSS A TRAGEDY FOR HAWAI'I, AVIATION

Make no doubt about it, the loss of Aloha Airlines after 61 years is a tragedy for the people of Hawai'i and for American aviation.

Aloha Airlines and its employees had pride in their airline and took care of the people of Hawai'i and those who came to our island state for so many years.

I feel sad for all those pilots, ramp workers, gate agents, administration staff and other employees who put their heart and soul into Aloha Airlines, and now will have nothing but great memories along with what can now seem like an insurmountable crisis in their own personal lives.

Aloha was the "people's airline," just like Ruddy Tongg, Aloha's founder, once said and that Hung Wo Ching made "The Aloha Airline."

Aloha 'oe, Aloha Airlines. Aloha 'oe.

SAD TIME FOR HAWAI'I AND FOR EMPLOYEES

This is a sad time for Hawai'i, especially for the employees of Aloha Airlines.

Both Aloha and Hawaiian have served the people of Hawai'i and its visitors for more than 60 years, both suffering financial challenges along the way.

Aloha and Hawaiian employees have given back many times, both money and benefits, to keep the carriers flying.

When go! Airlines entered the interisland market, many people welcomed their low airfares, but anyone with a little knowledge understood that for the airlines to be profitable, fares had to be more than $50.

My hopes and prayers are for Aloha, that maybe a miracle financial rescue still can happen. As for go! Airlines, I still say go! home, back to your parent company.

And to the state of Hawai'i, with many businesses closing, what are you doing to help retain local companies? There are tax credits for the come-and-go investors, but our own struggling businesses have to wait until they're flat broke.

STATE SHOULD ASSURE ALOHA WE APPRECIATE IT

I think we need to look at the "you can get it cheaper" tricks being played on consumers everywhere. I was never tempted to purchase a go! Airline ticket.

Cheaper is not always better. We had two quality airlines, and I flew Aloha to the Mainland more than once.

I think the state should do whatever it can to assure Aloha Airlines that we appreciate it and want it to represent Hawai'i.

VENERABLE COMPANY GONE DUE TO FARE WAR

I remember when go! entered the interisland market.

There were a lot of letters from readers who praised the airline for its low fares. They cursed Hawaiian and Aloha for monopolizing airfare pricing. You folks were glad to pay the lower prices. I could even detect a sense of arrogance. I have one question to ask: Are you proud of yourselves?

Aloha Airlines — gone. About 1,900 jobs — gone. A venerable company with 60 years of quality service to the Islands — gone. An airline with an impeccable on-time performance — gone.

All because you selfish people wanted lower airfares. Never mind the fact that to break even the airlines had to charge at least $49 one-way. The death knell was sounded when the price of crude oil went over $100 a barrel. Aloha was hemorrhaging long before that.

TIME TO FOCUS ON ALOHA'S EMPLOYEES

If successful, Gov. Linda Lingle's attempt to delay the closure of Aloha Airlines will only add to the amount owed creditors, many of whom are small businesses in Hawai'i.

It will not change the fate of the airline. The airline is, unfortunately, history; its employees are not. Let's move on and focus on helping them.

DEPARTURE LEAVES READERS STUCK ON O'AHU

The demise of Aloha has left me rather high and dry. I refuse to reward the business practices of Mesa's go! airline and will never fly on any airline that buys foreign-made planes at the expense of American jobs, so Hawaiian is out. So, unless Superferry gets going, O'ahu has become my Alcatraz.

RAIL OPTIONS

TELL US HOW MUCH SYSTEMS WILL TRULY COST

Richard Carman (an acoustics expert from Oakland) wrote an excellent article in last Sunday's Focus section that was full of good information regarding the noise levels of steel versus rubber versus maglev systems.

It is easy to conclude from this that steel wheels are a good choice. But the devil is in the details.

Carman stresses the importance of maintenance and points out that "It is in the interest of the transit agency to maintain smooth rails and round and smooth wheels."

I wonder if Mr. Carman has ever been to Honolulu — land of potholes, the infamous flowing sewer system, frequent water system geysers, the Natatorium, the rusting-away stadium and don't forget the falling power poles along the Wai'anae Coast. Maintenance?

Why should it be any different for Mufi Hannemann's choo-choo than any other segment of Hawai'i's fragile and under-maintained infrastructure?

I hope that when the City Council finishes its analysis of the different technologies, it will report more than noise levels in dB. Tell us how much the various systems will really cost, in terms of maintenance, sound-mitigation measures, energy usage and — the bottom line — how much the taxpayers will spend to subsidize each ride.

EGG THROWING

STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE APOLOGIZED IN PERSON

The Saint Louis students who did not apologize in person but through a statement read by the school's president are sending the wrong message to our children. The least they could have done is to read the apology in person, and offered the community some of their volunteer time to rebond with the residents of Lanikai.

That experience would have transformed them into becoming responsible citizens as they come of age.

DRIVEAKAMAI.ORG

POTHOLES NOT FIXED IN FIVE DAYS, AS PROMISED

In early March, the mayor announced that potholes reported to the city Web site, www.driveakamai.org, would be filled in about five working days.

I immediately sent in information on several growing potholes on Kupau Street in Kailua.

After more than two weeks, I can only reflect that I should have known the promise was too good to be true.

ELECTIONS

PUBLIC FUNDING BILL MUST GET QUICK OK

A bill to let the Big Island County Council try out full public funding of elections has moved forward in the Legislature. Now Calvin Say, speaker of the House, will have a chance to show he is one of those responsive legislators by sending HB 661 straight to the governor's desk, rather than consigning it to an uncertain fate in a House/Senate conference committee.

This bill will not use general funds, but will support eligible candidates from the Hawai'i Election Campaign Fund; mechanisms specified in the bill prevent exceeding available funding.

The Big Island County Council asked for this bill, citizens support it, now we look to Mr. Say for his response to local government and democratic principles.

ECONOMIC FUTURE

IT IS TIME TO LOKAHI, TO KOKUA FOR MOLOKA'I

We have been forthright and consistent in our opposition to the development of La'au Point on Moloka'i. Throughout the entire process, we have encouraged Molokai Ranch to come back to the table to negotiate out a compromise plan, as the community had rallied around the protection of La'au.

Because of our open invitation, we were taken by surprise by the sudden closure of Molokai Ranch operations, even though the threat of a closure and selling of the property were part of the "take it or leave it" proposal made by the ranch.

Many of us opposing the La'au development had family who worked for the ranch, myself included, as my youngest son was a recent employee.

The ranch has decided to close, but none of us has decided to move off of Moloka'i, so it is imperative that we begin the process of coming together to pick ourselves up.

Our first meeting to draw up an economic development plan we can agree upon was held last Saturday by some 30 people. We formed three working committees and will be working daily and meeting weekly.

We are a unique island, a Hawaiian island seeking a Hawaiian future. We have good leaders who need to re-unite and push forward.

This letter is not to blame anyone, but to send a message to everyone that the closing of the ranch need not be a half-empty glass, but an opportunity to move Moloka'i forward.

To all those who have obligations or interest in the positive future of Moloka'i, this is the time to act, this is the time to lokahi, this is the time to kokua.