HONOLULU -- Commuter airline Pacific Wings has accused the state Transportation Department of corruption and mismanagement with TV spots critical of the DOT.

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Pacific Wings offers commuter air service on propeller planes to small airports throughout the state to locations such as Hana on Maui. It shares the commuter terminal with competitor Island Air at Maui's Kahului Airport and wants Island Air to move out into the main Kahului terminal, to alleviate safety and congestion problems.

However, Pacific Wings claims the state Department of Transportation favors Island Air and is dragging its feet in relocating them.

"State officials now allow mismanagement, waste and fraud to suppress airline competition and reduce choices for Hawaii's traveling public. What they're really saying is they care more about the tourists than they do about Hawaii residents," Pacific Wings Operations Director Rob McKinney said.

State Transportation Director Rod Haraga said he's working to move Island Air out.

"Moving an airlines out of the commuter air terminal to the main terminal, just doesn't happen overnight. It requires a lot of scheduling changes, gate changes, counter changes and the like," Haraga said.

Pacific Wings ran television spots last week critical of Haraga.

"Are bankrupt mainland companies deciding how Hawaii airport dollars are spent? Has the Lingle Administration given control of Hawaii's small airports to big business?" the ad said.

The company plans to run a new ad in the next few days targeting Haraga's spokesman, Scott Ishikawa.

"I'm rather disappointed that it has come down to attacking us in the media. I would rather work together collaboratively toward a solution, and that's what we had offered Pacific Wings. But apparently, that's not the case and he wants immediate action," Haraga said.