We are celebrating the people at our cargo stations across the states of Hawai’i and Alaska, and the communities they serve. For more stories in this series, check out our People of Cargo.
STATION SPOTLIGHT: Hilo, Hawai’i (ITO)
STATION FACT: Hawaiian Air Cargo offers up to 15 flights every day to Honolulu (HNL) from Hilo — offering more daily shipping connections to other Hawaiian Islands, along with access to our shared global network, than any other passenger airline.
TEAM SPOTLIGHT: Jason, chief cargo agent, 26 years with Hawaiian Airlines
A HAWAIIAN PROVERB FOR CARGO: “The Hawaiian language uses a lot of proverbs and wise sayings referred to as ‘Olelo No’eau,” said Jason, who is fluent in Hawaiian and has taught the language. “The one that rings true for what we do is, ‘a’ohe hana nui ke ‘alu ‘ia, which means the work is not difficult when done together! Which also means no task is too great when everyone chips in or lends a hand.”
Every day, Hawaiian Air Cargo plays a vital role for the community of Hilo on the east coast of Hawai’i Island, shipping out local crops like papayas, carrying in key consumer goods like auto parts — and even returning residents’ keys or wallets left behind during travel between islands.
But there’s no time like spring to experience Hilo’s community spirit — in Hawaiian, the kaiaulu and lōkahi — and the cargo team’s place within it.
For more than 50 years, the weeklong Merrie Monarch Festival has celebrated Hawaiian culture in Hilo. Named in honor of Hawaiian King David La‘amea Kalākaua, who was a patron of the arts and known for his fun-loving ways, the annual festival includes a world-renowned hula competition, an invitational arts fair, and hand-made crafts and food. Hawaiian Airlines is both the top sponsor of the event and a key part of making the festivities possible, with Hawaiian Air Cargo supporting hula participants and vendors by offering special shipping programs.
“People love Merrie Monarch in Hilo because it’s a small town and has that feeling of community,” said Jason, a chief cargo agent in Hilo who grew up on the island. “The Big Island is the youngest of all the islands, but I think the culture is more alive here. I see the cultural practitioners still practicing, and the festival is part of that.”
“Kaiaulu equals community and lōkahi equals togetherness, or harmony. There is a real sense of community among the team all working together for a common goal.” — Jason, chief cargo agent in Hilo
From shipping in hula costumes, vendors’ crafts and food for the festival — to shipping out festival programs for those who can’t attend in person — Hawaiian Air Cargo moves freight that supports every part of Merrie Monarch. The cargo team also stores and stages the flower-laden Hawaiian Airlines float that leads the parade. “Merrie Monarch is one of our proudest moments working in cargo in Hilo,” Jason said.
A few weeks before Merrie Monarch 2025, Jason took some time out of his busy schedule to share how the Hawaiian Air Cargo team supports the festival and provides caring service for Hilo’s businesses and residents year-round.
How is Hawai’i Island different from other Hawaiian Islands?
“The Big Island is a combination of all islands. We have beautiful beaches. We have a mountain that even has snow. We have tropical rainforests and then desert-like conditions on the other side of the island that doesn’t get much rain. And then you have the lava and lush tropical areas. So, you got every island on this one island.”
What are some of the local products that ship out of Hilo?
“Every station has their cash crop, and for Hilo it’s agriculture. We get a lot of flowers, and fruits are the largest. One of the fruits is called the longan, which is a Chinese staple food, and then we also have papayas. The fruits are what really put us on the map.”
How does the cargo team care for these perishable products?
“On the 717’s, everything is loaded on the plane by hand.”
For the Merrie Monarch Festival, what are some of the ways the whole community, including Hawaiian Airlines, gets involved?
“It’s not corporations that run the event, it’s volunteers. The whole event is run with community support. Besides the hula competitions, there are also two nights of free hula performances. And then the other draw besides the hula is the craft fairs, and the majority are home-made crafts. The vendors are just regular people from our community. …. It truly is a community effort.”
How does Hawaiian Airlines ramp up to handle the passengers and cargo coming in for the festival?
“Hilo is a small town, and Hawaiian Airlines typically has 15 daily flights, with maybe one or two more on the busier days like Thursday and Fridays. But when Merrie Monarch comes into town and everyone leaves on Sunday, we have 20-plus flights.”
What are some of the ways Hawaiian employees participate in the festival?
“Because we’re one of the biggest sponsors, we get the lead float in the parade, which carries the king and queen. Hawaiian Air Cargo stores all the float stuff throughout the year. Volunteers working anywhere in Hawaiian Airlines, not just from Hilo, come help put the float together.”
Do any Hawaiian Airlines employees dance in the hula competitions?
“There are a lot of flight attendants, especially, who do. And we see people who work in the airline and they’re featured in articles for their hālau [hula troupe]. Our cargo trainer, Lono Padilla, actually is a kumu hula [the Hawaiian dance teacher for the troupe], and they’ve been on a winning streak for a number of years now.”
How does Hawaiian Airlines make the aloha from the festival last, even after it’s over?
“After the parade is done, all of the flowers and foliage get pulled off the Hawaiian Airlines float and we take it up to the airport. We’ll line our ticket counters with the flowers as much as possible, even in Cargo. So, in Cargo and at the airport, everything is so festive for the travelers when they return to other islands or the mainland or Japan — wherever they came from. There’s so much aloha with all of the flowers and greenery. All of the performers come through wishing everybody congratulations on their wins and their performances. The energy and atmosphere are incredible.”
