Aloha from Kansas City.</p><p>A bit of the Hawaiian Islands is coming to the area, as commuter carrier <strong>Island Air</strong> has been selected to fly nonstop to three regional cities from Kansas City.</p><p>Island Air, whose parent company is <strong>Hawaii Island Air Inc.</strong>, will fly nonstop from <strong>Kansas City International Airport</strong> to Joplin, Mo., Grand Island, Neb., and Harrison, Ark. The turboprop operator also will offer one-stop service to Hot Springs, Ark., via Harrison.</p><p>The <strong>U.S. Department of Transportation</strong> awarded the routes to Island Air under the Essential Air Service program, which subsidizes air service to smaller cities.</p><p>Island Air will replace the service currently provided by <strong>Air Midwest</strong>, which is seeking to withdraw air service to several smaller cities. As a result of Air Midwest terminating its schedule, KCI will lose nonstop commuter service to Columbia and Kirksville, Mo.</p><p>Island Air will have 12 round-trip, nonstop flights weekly to Grand Island and Harrison, with a flight proceeding to Hot Springs. The Joplin round-trip, nonstop flight will be offered 18 times a week.</p><p>This will be Island Air&#8217;s first foray in the mainland U.S., said Justin Meyer, air service development manager for the <strong>Kansas City Aviation Department</strong>.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re excited to have them,&#8221; he said.</p><p>No date has been set for when Island Air will take over the service.