Mississippi based Southern Airways is now touting itself as the largest commuter airline in the country after agreeing to acquire Hawaii interisland airline Mokulele.
Terms of the deal are undisclosed and with the acquisition Southern Airways will more than double weekly flights to about 1,380.
Southern Airways says Mokulele it is a great fit as the two airlines both operate nine-seat Cessna turboprops.
"The Mokulele brand is beloved in the Hawaiian Islands. I’ve found their aloha spirit to be very similar to our company’s core values, so we are truly excited about adding the Mokulele name to the Southern family of companies," said Southern CEO Stan Little.
Mokulele will continue to operate under its own brand name for the immediate future.
Mokulele serves Hawaii Island, Oahu, Maui, Lanai and Molokai, as well as essential air service in California.
It was founded in 1994 by Rebecca Inaba, as the first airline started by a native Hawaiian woman.
Southern Airways’ services are mostly focused in the Gulf South, mid-Atlantic and South Florida
