Pofolk Aviation Hawaii, Inc. v. Department of Transportation for State of Hawai'i.

Opinion of the Court by

RECKTENWALD, C.J.

This case involves the validity of airport landing fees imposed by the Department of Transportation Airport Division (DOT-A). DOT-A leases Dillingham Airfield on the island of 0‘ahu (Dillingham Airfield) from the United States Army. Since DOT-A began leasing the airfield from the Army, DOT-A has imposed landing fees on commercial users, including Petitioners/ Plaintiffs-Appellants Pofolk Aviation Hawaii, Inc., and Hale 0‘lele Corp. (collectively “Pofolk”).

In late 2012, DOT-A claimed that Pofolk owed DOT-A a total of $264,994.99 in unpaid landing fees.…