Hawaii: Government searches for ways to help airline

…U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, who met with Aloha employees last week, said, “Their lives are collapsing in front of them.”

In the hope of lowering fuel costs and increasing the airline’s cash flow to save the airline, Abercrombie said he will send a letter to President Bush today asking him to release fuel from the petroleum reserve, a fuel bank that is held for sustaining energy during a shortage crisis.


While there is no fuel shortage, Aloha and other companies in the commerce and cargo industry are on the verge of a crisis because of high fuel costs, he said.

“It’s a national emergency,” he said. “The cargo hauling industry, the commerce industry are reaching the crisis point. Truckers are being shut down.”

Honolulu Star-Bulletin