Tag Archives: kona international airport

Hawaiian to acquire three ATR 72 freighters to operate under the ‘Ohana by Hawaiian brand

Hawaiian Holdings, Inc., parent of Hawaiian Airlines (Honolulu), today announced plans to acquire three ATR 72 turboprop aircraft in an all-cargo configuration to expand its interisland shipping services. The new operation will launch in the first half of 2016, starting with flights between Honolulu International Airport (HNL) and Kona International Airport (KOA), Kahului Airport (OGG), Līhuʻe Airport (LIH) and Hilo International Airport (ITO), with well-timed connections from Hawaiian Airlines’ mainland and international network.

The ATR 72 fleet can carry up to 18,000 pounds of cargo and will be able to handle five 88-by-108-feet aircraft pallets or up to seven LD3 containers, skidded cargo and oversized shipments. Express services for smaller shipments will also be available on its 160 daily B717 flights throughout the day.

The flights will be branded ‘Ohana by Hawaiian and operated by Empire Airlines, which also operates the 48-passenger ATR 42 turboprop service (above). The livery of the aircraft will feature the same kapa tail patterns created by Hilo-based artist Sig Zane and his son Kūha’o (below).

“Since launching the ‘Ohana by Hawaiian passenger operation in March 2014, we have established a track record of providing a reliable and efficient service for travel within the islands with an on-time arrival rate of 94 percent,” said Hadden Watt, managing director of ‘Ohana by Hawaiian. “We expect to deliver the same reliability and high-quality of service to our cargo customers for their interisland shipments.”

The new cargo operation will create more than 100 new Hawai’i-based jobs in various areas of air transportation including pilots, mechanics, ground handlers, sales, customer service and management positions.

Hawaiian Airlines was the first U.S. airline certified to ship cargo in 1942, and has provided high-quality overseas shipping and customer service to international customers, freight forwarders, carriers and many others in the industry for more than 70 years as the flagship carrier of the Pacific.

Top Copyright Photo: Ivan K. Nishimura/AirlinersGallery.com. Operated by Empire Airlines, ‘Ohana by Hawaiian-branded ATR 42-500 N804HC (msn 623) taxies at the Honolulu base.

Hawaiian aircraft slide show:

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Hawaiian files to serve the Kona – Tokyo Haneda market

Hawaiian Airlines (Honolulu) has filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to begin daily, nonstop service this summer between Tokyo International Airport at Haneda (HND) and Kona International Airport (KOA) on Hawai’i Island. The airline’s action was prompted by the U.S. DOT’s decision last month to review the public interest served by Delta Air Lines’ Seattle/Tacoma-Tokyo route after Delta reduced its frequency from daily to seasonal.

In its application, Hawai’i’s flagship carrier urged the U.S. DOT to reallocate Delta’s Haneda frequency based on market data, noting that Hawaiian Airlines’ Honolulu-Tokyo service has been “by far the most, if not only, successful route” of the four Haneda slot pairs granted to U.S. carriers in 2010.

The Hawai’i Tourism Authority (HTA) estimates that the proposed daily service will generate 531,721 visitor days and $146 million in visitor expenditures. Hawaiian Airlines’ application calculates that service directly to Kona will attract 39,000 additional visitors and result in 1,151 new jobs and $65 million in new direct spending.
The application has the full support of Governor David Ige and Hawai’i Island Mayor Billy Kenoi.

If approved, this would be Hawaiian Airlines’ fifth Japan route and third daily nonstop flight between Japan and Hawai’i, joining daily service to Honolulu from Tokyo and Osaka and thrice-weekly service between Honolulu, Sendai and Sapporo. Hawaiian Airlines anticipates it will begin service on or about June 1, 2015, utilizing its fleet of 20 294-seat Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The departure and arrival times will vary depending on time of year.

In other news, Hawaiian Airlines announced its system-wide traffic statistics for the full year, fourth quarter and the month of December 2014. The airline set a new annual record in its 85-year history with 10,195,145 passengers transported in 2014, 2.6 percent higher than the previous year.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-243 N381HA (msn 1114) approaches the runway at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport.

Hawaiian Airlines aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-2/Airlines-UnitedStates-2/Hawaiian-Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines to seek Tokyo Haneda-Kona authority, reports a 3Q net profit of $36.8 million

Hawaiian Airlines (Honolulu) has announced it will file an application to provide nonstop service between Tokyo International Airport at Haneda and Kona International Airport on Hawai’i Island, utilizing operating slots at the Haneda airport being returned by American Airlines later this year.

Hawai’i’s flagship carrier will file its application with the U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday, proposing daily service using its 294-seat A330 aircraft. Hawaiian Airlines’ 2012 application for non-stop Haneda-Kona service included 175 letters of support from members of the Kona community.

Hawaiian Airlines has been connecting Hawai’i and Japan since November 2010, when it launched daily service between Haneda and Honolulu. The airline quickly followed with service between Honolulu and Osaka, Fukuoka, Sapporo and Sendai, and now provides 6,700 seats per week between Japan and the Hawaiian Islands.

Kona has been without a non-stop flight from Japan since October 29, 2010, when Japan Airlines discontinued direct service to West Hawai’i from Narita International Airport.

On the financial side, the company reported a third quarter net profit of $36.8 million. Hawaiian Holdings issued this statement:

Hawaiian Holdings, Inc., parent company of Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. reported its financial results for the third quarter of 2013.

Third Quarter 2013 Financial Results

Adjusted net income, reflecting economic fuel expense, of $36.8 million or $0.69 per diluted share.
GAAP net income of $40.6 million or $0.76 cents per diluted share.
Available seat miles (ASMs) increase of 9.0% year-over-year.
Passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) increase of 0.2% and operating revenue per available seat per mile (RASM) increase of 0.1%.
Cost per available seat mile (CASM), excluding fuel, increase of 2.1% year-over-year.
CASM increase of 1.5% year-over-year.

Mark Dunkerley, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, commented that “our third quarter results are a good step towards improving financial performance. The tide of industry capacity between the US West Coast and Hawai’i is beginning to recede and our new international routes are maturing, both of which are helpful developments. The strengthening of the US dollar against our major foreign currencies is pushing the other way. Indeed, were it not for foreign exchange effects, our third quarter results would have been the best in the company’s history.”

Statistical data, as well as a reconciliation of the reported non-GAAP financial measures, can be found in the accompanying tables.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of September 30, 2013 the Company had:

Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of $441 million.
Available borrowing capacity of $70 million under Hawaiian’s Revolving Credit Facility.
Outstanding debt and capital lease obligations of approximately $763 million consisting of the following:
- $361 million outstanding under secured loan agreements to finance a portion of the purchase price for six Airbus A330-200 aircraft.
- $159 million outstanding under secured loan agreements to finance a portion of the purchase price for 15 Boeing 717-200 aircraft.
- $112 million in capital lease obligations to finance the acquisition of an Airbus A330-200, two Boeing 717-200 aircraft and aircraft-related equipment.
- $55 million of outstanding floating rate notes issued in conjunction with the acquisition of three Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft.
- $76 million of outstanding Convertible Senior Notes.

Business Highlights

Operational

Ranked #1 nationally for on-time performance for the months of June and July 2013 by the U.S. Department of Transportation Air Travel Consumer Report.
Exceeded our internal on-time performance goals for the third quarter.

Fleet and financing

Returned one Boeing 767-300 aircraft at the end of its lease term.
Took delivery of one ATR 42-500 twin-turboprop aircraft to inaugurate new service to Moloka’i and Lana’i.

Product

Enhanced our inflight experience on our Boeing 767-300 aircraft by becoming the only U.S. carrier to offer the Apple iPad mini as a replacement for the prior portable entertainment system.

New routes and increased frequencies

Honolulu to Taipei, Taiwan three-times-weekly service launched July 9, 2013.
Announced the reintroduction of daily non-stop service from Honolulu to Oakland beginning in January 2014, an increase from four times weekly. Also, announced seasonal service, during the summer of 2014, between Oakland and Kona, three times weekly and Oakland and Lihu’e, four times weekly.
Announced seasonal service, during the summer of 2014 between Los Angeles and Kona, three times weekly and Los Angeles and Lihu’e, four times weekly.

Hawaiian Airlines:

Mokulele to begin Kona-Kapalua (Maui) service on July 19

Mokulele Airlines (Mokulele Express) (Kona) has announced that effective July 19, 2013, it will begin offering service between Kona International Airport on the Big Island and Kapalua Airport on Maui.

Mokulele will operate four daily flights between Kona to Kapalua. When the new service launches on July 19, Mokulele will become the first airline to operate regular service between the two cities.