On Monday, Aloha posted a $10.6 million operating loss during its third quarter due in large part to

On Monday, Aloha posted a $10.6 million operating loss during its third quarter due in large part to lower interisland fares. The loss reversed a $5.7 million operating profit by the airline in the year-earlier quarter.
Jonathan Ornstein, Mesa's chief executive officer, said yesterday that Aloha's cost estimates are way off when it comes to his airline. He said go!'s expenses per passenger are about $40 when the planes are 80 percent full.
Ornstein, reached in China where he is on a business trip, said go!'s existing aircraft � 50-seat Bombardier CRJ 200 � are meant as "pathfinder" aircraft and that the airline's costs will drop once it gets larger, more efficient planes.
When the planes are flying 100 percent full, Aloha's costs drop to about $26 per passenger while Hawaiian's falls to about $29 per passenger, the Sabre report said. go!'s costs are about $37 per passenger on planes flying full, according to the study.
Aloha emerged from Chapter 11 reorganization in February under new ownership led by California billionaire Ron Burkle's Yucaipa Co. According to Banmiller, Aloha eliminated about $90 million in annual costs during the bankruptcy proceedings.
"This airline is running as well as it has run in a very long time. On-time performance is up. There are very few cancellations of flights. For months, we didn't have a single passenger complaint," Banmiller said. "The airline itself is running very well."