Aloha Air Cargo

Aeko Kula, LLC
Company type	Private
Industry	Cargo airline
Predecessor	Aloha Airlines (cargo division)
Founded	2008; 18 years ago
Fate	Operating as Aloha Air Cargo under Saltchuk ownership
Headquarters	Honolulu, United States
Area served	Hawaii, United States mainland, Caribbean, South America
Key people	Mike Malik (inaugural president)
Products	Air cargo transport
Owner	Saltchuk Resources
Parent	Saltchuk Resources

Aeko Kula, LLC, operating under the trade name Aloha Air Cargo, is a U.S.-based cargo airline headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. Its primary operations are centered at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. The airline was established as a standalone freight carrier following the 2008 discontinuation of the passenger airline Aloha Airlines.

History

Originally established in 1946, Aloha Airlines grew steadily over the years but encountered financial difficulties, leading to a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 2004 to manage expenses due to competitive pressures. After implementing restructuring measures and negotiating new labor agreements, it emerged from bankruptcy protection in 2006. However, the company filed for bankruptcy again in March 2008 and ceased passenger services on March 31 of that year.

Following the cessation of passenger flights, efforts were made to sell the profitable cargo segment. Prospective buyers included Saltchuk Resources from Seattle, Castle & Cooke Aviation based in California, and Kahala Capital from Hawaii. Disagreements with Aloha's main creditor, GMAC Commercial Finance, led to withdrawal of these bids, resulting in halted financing and suspension of cargo operations. Consequently, the airline converted its bankruptcy status from Chapter 11 to Chapter 7 for liquidation.

Motivated by U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye, Saltchuk revived its acquisition proposal and agreed to purchase the cargo division for $10.5 million. This transaction received federal bankruptcy court approval in May 2008. Saltchuk already had a strong presence in Hawaii through subsidiaries like Young Brothers/Hawaiian Tug & Barge and owned Northern Air Cargo in Alaska. To manage Aloha Air Cargo operations, Saltchuk formed Aeko Kula, LLC.

On May 15, 2008, Aloha Air Cargo obtained operational approval from both the FAA and the Department of Transportation to function as an independent carrier. Under the leadership of its inaugural president Mike Malik, the company underwent rebranding efforts, launched new services and products, and introduced "Aloha Tech Ops," its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) division. The airline was honored as Hawaii's Cargo Airline of the Year in 2008.

Barbados

Bridgetown (Grantley Adams International Airport)

Trinidad

Port Of Spain (Piarco International Airport)

Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo (Las Américas International Airport)

Guyana

Georgetown (Cheddi Jagan International Airport)

Peru

Lima (Jorge Chávez International Airport)

Hawaii

Hilo (Hilo International Airport)
Honolulu (Daniel K. Inouye International Airport) Hub
Kahului (Kahului Airport)
Kona (Kona International Airport)
Lihue (Lihue Airport)

California

Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport)

Florida

Miami (Miami International Airport)

Washington

Seattle (Seattle-Tacoma International Airport)

Fleet

As of August 2016, Aloha Air Cargo's fleet comprised:

**Aloha Air Cargo Fleet**
Aircraft	Total Active	Orders	Cargo Capacity	Notes
Boeing 737-300F	3	—	42,900 lbs
Boeing 767-300F	3	1	TBA	Operated by Air Transport International

Aircraft formerly operated include:

Four Boeing 737-200C models (stored), previously part of Aloha Airlines' fleet
One Boeing 767-300F leased from ABX Air
Three Saab 340AF aircraft

Incidents

On October 16, 2014, a Boeing 737-300F operating a flight from Lanai to Honolulu encountered a cargo shift during takeoff. Despite damage to the rear bulkhead caused by improperly secured freight, the crew managed to land the aircraft safely.

External links