Hawaii’s Pacific Air Charters Takes Ownership of Five Aircraft

Hawaii’s Pacific Air Charters has assumed ownership of five propellor aircraft in order to assuage US Department of Transportation concerns about foreign interests having an outsized influence over the airline’s day-to-day runnings.

Pacific Air Charters has applied for authority to operate scheduled passenger services as a commuter air carrier under section 41738 of Title 49 of the United States Code. However, the application is encountering some scrutiny from the Department of Transportation.

Among other things, the department has questioned the role of husband and wife owners, Papaalii and Wanda Alofa, at the Pacific Air Charters. Both are based on American Samoa. While Wanda Alofa is a US citizen, her husband is not, and the department has raised concerns about the "close personal relationships, significant funding, and undocumented and informal agreements between Pacific Air Charters and its foreign minority investor."

Papaalii Alofa has a 20% interest in Pacific Air Charters, while Wanda has a 60% stake.

Aside from an interest in running scheduled commuter services around the Hawaiian islands, the Alofas are behind nascent American Samoan startup, Pago Wings.

When, or if, the Department of Transportation approves Pacific Air Charters’ application, the airline intends to start operating a scheduled passenger service between Honolulu (HNL) and Molokai (MKK).

In a July 16, 2025, letter addressing the department’s concerns, Pacific Air Charters President Marshall Ashley said ownership of four Tecnam P2012 Travellers and one Cessna 310R has recently transferred from American Samoan entities to Pacific Air Charters. Also transferred were various other aviation assets and some residential real estate in Hawaii.

Ashley holds the remaining 20% of Pacific Air Charters.

“In partial payment of these acquisitions, Pacific Air Charters assumed responsibility for two notes payable to Midtown Leasing LLC (an Alaska LLC) relating to acquisition of two of the Travellers,” the letter reads.

“The current balance due on those notes is about USD3.8 million. As a result, Pacific Air Charters now owns all of the aviation assets which were formerly owned by the American Samoa entities and is responsible for the debt to the US-based lender. Also, the Hawaii residence will further enhance Pacific Air Charters’ ability to independently borrow from US financial institutions and make it financially independent from its US National minority investor.”

Ashley also said the Alofa’s primary company, Paramount Builders, would forgive loans previously extended to the airline.

The letter also said that Pacific Air Charters intends to sell (and to lease back) one of the Travellers to Aerospring Leasing LLC for USD2.8 million, reducing the existing debt to Midtown Leasing by about USD1.8 million (paying off one of the two notes), leaving USD1 million in cash for the airline’s operations and to satisfy the financial resources to support the commuter authority.

“This demonstrates Pacific Air Charters’ ability to obtain financing independent of Mr. Alofa and the American Samoa businesses operated by him,” wrote Ashley.

Pacific Air Charters currently operates on-demand charters in Hawaii and in American Samoa. The airline resumed charter operations in Hawaii in April 2025 and began charter operation in American Samoa in July 2025.

Commencing in June, the airline has been transporting construction workers to and from the island of Lanai; this amounts to about 20 flights per month. Beginning in August, Pacific Air Charters will be providing nonemergency transportation for medical patients from Molokai to Honolulu. This is anticipated to be about 12 flights per month.

You can read Marshall Ashley's letter to the Department of Transportation here.