Summary
- Due to inconsistencies in its documentation, Mokulele Airlines has grounded most of its fleet, leaving travelers stranded in Hawaii.
- The airline is currently reviewing aircraft for safety concerns and prioritizing the transport of people with medical needs or connecting flights.
- Previous incidents involving engine changes and flight cancellations have caused frustration among frequent travelers.
The regional Hawaiian carrier Mokulele Airlines grounded most of its fleet this weekend due to possible discrepancies in documentation of landing gear maintenance. The grounding of the aircraft has left many travelers stranded in Hawaii.
According to a letter sent to Hawaii Public Radio by Mokulele’s President of Hawaii Operations, Louis Saint-Cyr, the airline had identified possible discrepancies in the documentation. As a precautionary measure, the airline abruptly decided to keep certain aircraft on the ground until thorough inspections could be carried out.
Moloka’i residents rely on Mokulele Airlines as their only commercial operator to the neighboring islands. The grounding of many of the airline’s aircraft has also left passengers stranded on O’ahu and Maui and must now seek boat transportation to return to Moloka’i.
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Cancelled flights across the entire network
Because air traffic on Molokai has been disrupted, passengers’ travel plans to and from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport Kahului, Kapalua, Kona Waimea, Moloka’i, Kalaupapa and Lāna’i. The Hawaii Department of Transportation noted that Molokai was able to operate at half capacity on Sunday, but is now no longer accepting reservations.
While the airline conducts a thorough security screening, priority will be given to people with medical issues or connecting flights from the mainland. Saint-Cyr made the following statement to Hawaii Public Radio on Monday:
“The Mokulele team has been working diligently with maintenance checks to safely and efficiently return our fleet to service. While we are not yet at full capacity, we are close to being able to operate all flights on the regular schedule. We have successfully rebooked the vast majority of our passengers and greatly appreciate the continued flexibility and understanding of the Hawaiian community.”
Years of frustration with Mokulele
While the latest grounding policy affects many passengers with short-term flight schedules, it is not surprising for frequent flyers. Residents who rely on the airline’s services have noted that the airline has recently had to cancel their flights. Saab 340B aircraft due to the unavailability of a spare engine. Following this weekend’s news, the airline has said that if passengers cannot be accommodated, it will issue a flight voucher for future return flights.
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The airline’s fleet consists of Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX and Saab 340B Plus. It has ordered 15 Regent Viceroy, an electric ground effect aircraft.
