In addition to Aloha Airlines' cargo service, the company's contract services division is continuing to run with about 1,200 employees.

Aloha is looking for a buyer for the contract services unit. The division provides key ground-support services for other airlines and was not affected by the shutdown of Aloha's passenger business.

Aloha CEO David Banmiller said he expects to receive bids for the unit, which he said is profitable. The contract services division "kind of gets by — it makes a little bit of money," Banmiller said.

Aloha spokesman Stu Glauberman said contract services employees provide customer service, baggage handling, ticket agents and ramp agents for other airlines that fly to Hawai'i.

He said about 20 airlines — some international, some domestic — pay Aloha to handle such core services in Hawai'i.

Glauberman said those services can be different for each carrier. He said the services range from running the ticket counter to cleaning the cabins and "aircraft marshalling," the folks who direct the aircraft on the runways.

Clients include United Airlines, Japan Air Lines, ATA, Omni, Korean Air, China Air and others for services "above and below the wing," Glauberman said.

Glauberman said the division also takes care of planes flying through here on the way to Asia, such as aircraft in transit from Boeing in Washington state.

He said some of the companies that hire these contract services don't need a full day's work from all employees. "Some may be part-time who work only a few hours each day."

As of last month, he said, the company provided ground handling services daily for these carriers:

Maui: American Airlines, US Air, Westjet, ATA;