HONOLULU (KHON2) — Mokulele Airlines could soon be hit by the federal government shutdown. Federal funding for the airline could be paused as soon as next Monday if the shutdown continues, threatening jobs, healthcare and other essential services.
For many, traveling from Kalaupapa to Honolulu and back is a life-or-death situation.
“Every three months I go to the doctor,” said Angela Florendo, Molokai resident. “I get lupus, arthritis, I get a whole lotta health issues.”
“And I come in quite often for medical reasons, besides seeing my family,” said Nani Maioho Kawaa, Molokai resident.
“And it’s very important for my life,” said Florendo.
Those flights are in now jeopardy. Mokulele Airlines, which operates flights to rural areas in Hawaii, could lose its federal subsidy under the Essential Air Service program. The US Department of Transportation said Monday EAS would expire next week because of the government shutdown.
“I’m very sad to hear that if we get shut down,” said Kawaa. “We really need an airline on Molokai.”
“Horrible,” said Florendo. “I can’t do anything. I’m just a little dust in the wind.”
“It’s very difficult when you can’t guarantee that a plane will take off to be able to get you ready to go and to bring you back home,” said Rep. Jill Tokuda, U.S. House of Representatives. “And so reliable, essential air service is really critical to some of our very remote communities.”
National Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says the department just does not money for the program moving forward. He says that every state in the country will be affected.
The latest EAS information from the DOT was released last October. In those documents, it showed Mokulele’s parent company, Southern Air, receiving more than $7.3 million for flying to Hana, Kalaupapa, Kamuela and Lanai.
“They holding us hostage,” said Florendo. “We like prisoners with no bars.”
In a statement, Mokulele says it is committed to the communities we serve in Hawaii. And the company is working with the US DOT to learn more and will come back to the community with our plans as soon as possible. Hawaii’s Department of Transportation says it is also working with Mokulele.
“Our next step is to make sure that whatever they decide for Hawaii, we need to make sure that our constituents, our community, you know, in these areas can get to where they need to go, that they are not cut off from, in some cases, essential lifesaving services,” said Tokuda.
“I have faith it’s gonna get better,” said Florendo. “But I hope it hurries up before I die.”