Rep. Tokuda provides update on air transportation issue on Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi

Congresswoman Jill Tokuda issued an update today on air transportation disruptions to the outer islands of Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi in Maui County.

On Jan. 15, 2025, Mokulele Airlines temporarily paused all of its flights due to maintenance, and said the action was taken out of an abundance of caution. An updated message on the company’s website says certain Mokulele Airlines flights are cancelled, and encourages impacted guests to reach out to customer service to be reaccommodated.

Tokuda said air transportation is a critical lifeline for families on Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi. She said the grounding of flights came without warning, leaving passengers and residents angry and stranded.

“I have been in conversation with multiple federal agencies about any and all remedies we have to prevent these lapses in service and explore alternative options to keep our neighbor island communities connected,” said Tokuda.

In conversations with the US Department of Transportation, Tokuda said she has asked them to consider a delay of award or shorten their upcoming Essential Air Service contracts for Kalaupapa and Kamuela in order to give them the most flexibility and options in selecting a carrier.  

“I also requested that they consider going out earlier to solicit new contracts for existing EAS routes if carriers have not been able to live up to the terms of their agreements.  At my request, USDOT included reporting requirements in their most recent EAS contract for Lānaʻi in order for there to be accountability on the consistency and reliability of their routes,” said Tokuda.

The congresswoman said she will continue to work with USDOT on requiring contingency plans to prevent lapses in services as a part of future EAS contracts.

“This is a complicated and challenging issue that will require collaboration between state, federal, and private stakeholders, but our residents deserve nothing less than the ability to get safely to and from their island home,” she said.