KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii – On Wednesday, December 21, Hawaiian Airlines began regular weekly flights from Haneda Airport in Tokyo to Kona International Airport. State dignitaries joined a crowd of more than 100 supporters to welcome Flight 852 as it landed in Kona. It was a celebration of what many in the business community are calling an economic gift for the entire island, coming in 3 times a week.

In the above video, which features a segment of the Christmas Day Island Issues radio broadcast, host Sherry Bracken talks about the impacts of this flight with Ross Birch, head of Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau.