The Hawaiian Airline You May Not Know About
Mokulele Airlines, say the name and most interliners will say “who”? With over 280 employees and over 120 flights a day to the various Hawaiian Islands, Mokulele Airlines is an airline you need to know about as a nonrev!
This month we interview Nate Vallier with Mokulele Airlines to learn more about them and what they offer nonrev travelers plus how to book your nonrev flight on Mokulele Airlines.
Mokulele was founded in 1994 by Rebecca “Kawehi” Inaba as Mokulele Flight Service. Her love of aviation must have been in the blood as her father was a pilot for Aloha Airlines. She partnered with Jules Dudoit who arranged for a certificate allowing the airline to provide circle-island and air tours that shared the beauty of Hawaii National Park and Maui with passengers.
The airline was purchased in 2005 by “digEplayer” inventor, William “Bill” Boyer Jr. who took the company from charter to commuter status. In 2006 Boyer began flying Cessna Grand Caravans to Kapalua, Molokai, and Lanai. In 2011 Transpac Holdings bought Mokulele and they are our current owner.
Steve – So Nate, where all does Mokulele Airlines fly to?
Nate – Well we fly from Honolulu and Barbers Point Kalaeloa on O’ahu, Ho’olehua and Kalaupapa on Moloka’i, Kapalua, Kahului and Hana on Maui and Kona and Waimea-Kohala on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Steve – What kind of planes do you fly and how many do they seat?
Nate – We currently fly Caravan 208’s that seat 9 people and we have 15 planes.
Steve – With planes that small, what are the chances an interliner can get on a plane?
Nate – It depends on the day of the week. amazingly flying Kona/Honolulu thru Molokai or Kapalua can be easy and since we also fly to Barbers Point/West Oahu, its another option to get to Honolulu. You just have to fly through Lanai or Molokai. We are also starting to do extra sections.. so 2 planes, 1 flight.
Mokulele was founded in 1994 by Rebecca “Kawehi” Inaba as Mokulele Flight Service. Her love of aviation must have been in the blood as her father was a pilot for Aloha Airlines. She partnered with Jules Dudoit who arranged for a certificate allowing the airline to provide circle-island and air tours that shared the beauty of Hawaii National Park and Maui with passengers.
The airline was purchased in 2005 by “digEplayer” inventor, William “Bill” Boyer Jr. who took the company from charter to commuter status. In 2006 Boyer began flying Cessna Grand Caravans to Kapalua, Molokai, and Lanai. In 2011 Transpac Holdings bought Mokulele and they are our current owner.
Steve – So Nate, where all does Mokulele Airlines fly to?
Nate – Well we fly from Honolulu and Barbers Point Kalaeloa on O’ahu, Ho’olehua and Kalaupapa on Moloka’i, Kapalua, Kahului and Hana on Maui and Kona and Waimea-Kohala on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Steve – What kind of planes do you fly and how many do they seat?
Nate – We currently fly Caravan 208’s that seat 9 people and we have 15 planes.
Steve – With planes that small, what are the chances an interliner can get on a plane?
Nate – It depends on the day of the week. amazingly flying Kona/Honolulu thru Molokai or Kapalua can be easy and since we also fly to Barbers Point/West Oahu, its another option to get to Honolulu. You just have to fly through Lanai or Molokai. We are also starting to do extra sections.. so 2 planes, 1 flight.
Steve – How many flights a day on average does Mokulele Airlines operate and where is your “Hub”?
Nate – We operate over 120 flights a day. Between the Big Island and Maui, we have 4 flights a day to Kapalua/West Maui and about 15-20 to Kahului. Honolulu to Molokai is like 10 flights a day and 8 to Kapalua. Our only real “hub” is Kahului with about 40 flights a day and about the same for Molokai, Molokai (MKK) connects to all of the cities we serve.
Steve – What does it cost for a nonrev to fly on Mokulele Airlines?
Nate – $20-$25 if we have an agreement with your airline, otherwise $35 per segment but only for ZED members though. We’re also transporting status now in myIDtravel, however we still have some glitches with Radixx, so it won’t be “live” for all the bigger airlines until February. we allow employees to bring ANYONE as their companion which is helpful if they are traveling with someone on a buddy pass. This way they aren’t in a bind if Honolulu is full (imagine that) and Maui or Kona has seats.
Steve – For our readers who are not that familiar with ZED how do they know if they qualify?
Nate – Well they can call their pass bureau for one. Also they can look at FlyZED.Info to see a list of the airlines who are ZED members.
Steve – What advise to you have for our readers about travel to Hawaii?
Nate – Hawaii travel is very unique and challenging. All it takes is 1 transpac flight (California/West Coast to Hawaii or vice versa) to cancel and it will muck everything up for days. So be prepared, and be flexible enough to end up on the wrong island.
With some airlines now using smaller and smaller planes, just because there are 20 open seats does not mean 20 standbys can get on, many flights get weight restricted for fuel or cargo.
So always have more than 1 back-up and be prepared to pay higher-than-average for hotels, especially on Oahu and Maui. Another challenge specific to Hawai’i is the lack of hotels near the airports. They are either lower-end properties or three times the price you’d expect, EVEN with airline discounts.
Now about Mokulele – if you aren’t sure if we have an agreement, check your internal travel page/department or call our reservations office. They keep a list. If we do NOT have an agreement, we do welcome other ZED members for $35 each way, plus taxes. and yes, we do not grant free baggage waivers. Which very very, if any, airlines allow other employees to fly on them without there being an agreement between the two. So some may not think its fair that we allow American Airlines staff on for $35 each way, but my guys can’t fly to Dallas or Phoenix, for example. So we have to keep some level of harmony while still showing the spirit of aloha to our guests.
Steve – Thanks Nate for your time in helping to inform our readers about Mokelulu Airlines and the nonrev travel options you guys offer.
Basic Travel Rules for Mokulele Airlines
Interline
Luggage – FREE carry-on item (up to 15lb / 6 kg) and ONE FREE CHECKED BAG not to exceed 50 lbs (23kg). Normal baggage fees apply for each additional or oversized piece. If we do NOT have a reciprocal agreement, there are no waivers on checked luggage; standard baggage charges will apply.
Dress Code – Applies to all pass riders
Non-revenue travelers are expected to dress in business casual, not necessarily Sunday best, but try to blend in if you can.
Dress code is a slightly relaxed business casual for all pass riders.
No flip-flops or sandals for men; women are allowed dress sandals.
No clothing with words or graphics of a sexually explicit nature
No clothing with language that could be remotely perceived as offensive
No revealing tank tops or strapless tops
No mini skirts, short shorts or anything you would describe as micro (in this case, less is not more!)
No ripped or torn clothing
No lycra pants, yoga pants or workout wear.
No pajamas
Remove all company IDs / lanyards
No foul odor / strong odor / unclean clothes
Do not discuss any free or reduced rate travel with other passengers
MEN SHOULD NOT be in basic t shirts; they need to be dress t shirts or a v-neck.
Jeans are allowed that are CLEAN, free of stains/odors and are NOT “designer” jeans with tears and rips.
No flip flops, board shorts with t shirt, etc. Men can wear dress sandals that cover 1/2 your foot; women may wear slippers as long as it is part of a dress. Single color jeans are acceptable with no rips/tears – fashion jeans with writing/lots of metal are not allowed. Women should not wear strapless tops or spaghetti string tops – undergarments should NOT be visible. Please remove airline lanyards from your neck and/or person as to not draw attention to you. Our planes are fairly small and conversations can carry – passengers are always inquisitive of our business and it is easy to ease drop in on others discussions. For more information, view Dress to Impress at www.mivuelo.net/MW .
Basic Interline Travel Rules for Mokulele Airlines
Flight listing policy and procedures
We are doing “live” testing in myIDtravel as we are the launch carrier with our reservation system. Hawaiian, JetBlue, Air Tahiti Nui and Southwest ohana – PLEASE LIST ONLY THROUGH MYIDTRAVEL.
For all others, please call 808.495.4188, identify yourself as an airline employee and provide your two letter code (if we have an agreement), or ask for the “XOA” rate if we do not have an agreement. Please pay for your service charge when listing to avoid delays at the ticket counter. Our fees for non-bilateral airline employee travel is $35.00 USD + taxes each direction. Fees are refundable or convertable to a voucher if you do not make a flight. Voucher can be used for revenue or non-revenue travel for up to 1 year from date of issue.
You do NOT need to be listed in advance, however it is recommended.
We require proof of eligibility for dependents and your eligibles when flying. This can be a print off from your airline’s benefits page, internal booking system, or a letter from your HR department/manager. Your eligible’s names, relationship to employee, and date of birth should be visible.
Mokulele also welcomes companions to fly with the employee for $35 USD on a space available basis.
No employee discount on air cargo at this time.
Check-in
Please check-in at least 30 minutes before departure at all airports EXCEPT Honolulu. Please check-in at least 60 minutes prior at HNL. We do not require TSA screening except for HNL departures. MW is not a participating TSA PreCheck carrier.
Changes to Bookings
myIDtravel listings: please contact reservations or ask a Mokulele team member to change your reservation. myIDtravel listings can only allow for NEW listings and CANCEL. Rebook is not available via myIDtravel.
Basic Interline Travel Rules for Mokulele Airlines
Clearing
Non-revs will be cleared based on time of check-in and body weight may also be taken into account. We may not clear a flight until 10 minutes before departure. Please allow ample flexibility when flying. We clear in the following order:
- MW team members & eligibles
- MW eligibles NOT flying with team member
- OAL staff & eligibles with commercial ticketing agreement (AS, NZ)
- OAL staff & eligibles WITH employee travel agreement
- OAL staff & eligibles – no official agreement and JUMPSEATERS
Seating will be based on body weight for proper weight and balance of the Cessna Grand Caravan.
Baggage
MW grants a FIRST BAG FEE waiver for travelers who work for companies that have bilateral travel agreements with Mokulele. 2nd bag fee is $25, 3rd bag fee $35, and each additional is $35. If you book via the XOA rate, meaning we do NOT have a bilateral agreement, you will be subject to the normal bag fees as revenue customers. Carry-on items are limited to 15 pounds maximum. We can carry only smaller surf boards.
We no longer charge for PETS IN CABIN, however you MUST contact reservations to reserve space for your pet. Pets MUST travel in the cabin of the aircraft as we do not have space in our cargo for pet carriers.
OAL staff & eligibles with commercial ticketing agreements
If you work for Alaska, Air New Zealand and Qantas we have an interline e-ticketing agreement in place. While we may not have a formal employee travel agreement, you are welcome to fly on Mokulele at the “XOA” rate. We also extend a 25% discount to you off our REGULAR published fares (YMW, BMW, QMW) – please email our pass bureau to book, do NOT call reservations. You will be allowed 1 checked bag, free of charge, under 50 pounds.
Basic Interline Travel Rules for Mokulele Airlines
OAL staff & eligibles with employee travel agreements
If Mokulele has an employee travel agreement in place with your airline, we will also extend a 25% discount to you and your eligibles (WHEN flying with employee) valid only on YMW, BMW, and QMW fares. You will be allowed 1 checked bag, free of charge, under 50 pounds. Please email our pass bureau to book. ID25s are extended ONLY to those airlines who have a signed ISTA or Employee Travel Agreement in place.
Companion Travel
Mokulele welcomes any airline employee to bring along ONE non-eligible travel companion. Travel companion will need to be booked via our call center by calling 808.495.4188.
Feel free to email passbureau@mokulelehawaii.com with any questions.
Refunds
Please email passbureau@mokulelehawaii.com to request refunds of any fees paid. Refunds may take up to two weeks to process.