Makani Kai Air
Makani Kai Air, was an FAA Part 135 scheduled air carrier based in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was a subsidiary of Schuman Aviation Company, Ltd. Since 2020 it is a subsidiary of Mokulele Airlines,
| Founded | 1998 |
|---|---|
| Ceased operations | 2020 |
| AOC # | MKHA108K |
| Hubs | Honolulu International Airport |
| Subsidiaries | Magnum Helicopters Hawaii Aviation Services |
| Fleet size | 13 |
| Destinations | 6 |
| Parent company | Mokulele Airlines |
| Headquarters | 100 Kaulele Place, Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Key people | |
| Employees | 40[1] |
| Website | makanikaiair.com |
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The airline offers regularly scheduled passenger service between Honolulu International Airport, Hoolehua Airport, Molokai, Kalaupapa Airport, Molokai, Kahului, Maui and Princeville Airport, Kauai. The airline charges a flat-rate airfare between locations. The airfare is good for every seat on every flight, every day. The scheduled service between Kalaupapa to Hoolehua Airport is among the shortest scheduled flights in the world.
Schuman Aviation Company, Ltd., also offers charter airplane and helicopter services statewide. Another subsidiary, Magnum Helicopters, offers doors off tours of the island of Oahu.
Makani Kai Air has been operating since 1998. It began regularly scheduled passenger service between Honolulu and Kalaupapa in 2009. In 2011, Makani Kai won the Essential Air Service contract for Kalaupapa and commenced service under the contract in January 2012.[2] In June 2013, Makani Kai began regular daily service to "topside" Molokai at the Hoolehua Airport.[3] On May 1, 2019, Makani Kai Air began twice-daily service between Honolulu International Airport and Princeville Airport on Kauai. On August 1, 2019, Makani Kai Air began air service between Kahului, Maui, and Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii.
On June 3, 2020, Makani Kai announced it would be merging with Mokulele Airlines, another commuter airline operating in Hawaii, with the new airline operating under the Mokulele brand. Makani Kai owner Richard Schuman is expected to oversee the combined airline. Schuman Aviation Company's other subsidiaries, Magnum Helicopters, and Hawaii Aviation Services are not part of the merger. The merger is expected to take four or five months to complete.[4]
Destinations
Makanai Kai Air served the following destinations prior to the merger:[5]
Fleet
| Aircraft | In Fleet | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eurocopter AS350B2 | 1 | 0 | 4-6 | |
| Cessna Grand Caravan | 6 | 0 | 8 | |
| Beechcraft King Air 300 | 5 | 0 | 5-7 | |
| Piper PA-31 | 1 | 0 | 7 | |
| Total | 13 | 0 | ||
Accidents and incidents
| Date | Flight Number | Information |
|---|---|---|
| 11 December, 2013 | - | A Cessna 208 Caravan operating a Makani Kai Air flight ditched into the ocean a mile off Kalaupapa.[6] The aircraft's engine failed after takeoff from Kalaupapa Airport, on the island of Moloka'i, headed to Honolulu. The aircraft had one pilot and nine passengers on board. All persons on board exited the aircraft safely. One passenger swam to shore, while State of Hawai'i Health & Social Services' Director Loretta Fuddy died in the water while awaiting rescue shortly after the crash. The NTSB released a Probable Cause document regarding the accident dated May 23, 2016. |
References
- "Makani Kai Air Staff". Retrieved 15 March 2017.
- "Makani Kai launches subsidized air service to Kalaupapa". Hawaii Business. January 17, 2012. Archived from the original on June 7, 2012.
- Silverstein, Stephanie (June 5, 2013). "Makani Kai Air adds Honolulu-Molokai flights to schedule". Pacific Business News. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
- Schaefers, Allison (June 3, 2020). "Mokulele Airlines and Makani Kai Air announce merger". Honolulu Star Advertiser. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
- "Makani Kai Air - The Only Air Carrier Specializing in Molokai". Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- "Pilot Described Catastrophic Engine Failure in Molokai Crash". Retrieved 16 March 2017.