HONOLULU– In a suit filed today by Aloha Airlines, Inc., and Aloha Airgroup, Inc., in state Circuit Court, Aloha said Mesa Air Group, Inc., received confidential information as a potential investor in Aloha and used it improperly to enter Hawaii’s inter-island market with intent to drive Aloha out of business.

Aloha alleges in its suit that Mesa used Aloha’s proprietary information to unethically compete in the Hawaii market by offering air fares that failed to cover Mesa’s costs. Mesa’s Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Ornstein has stated more than once that Mesa’s Go! can “fly empty” for five years with the profits from Mesa’s Mainland operations. This indicates that Mesa is not covering its costs and is ultimately motivated to offer unrealistic fares with intent to drive out competition from the Hawaii market.