Virgin America (San Francisco) yesterday (December 3) launched the San Francisco – Kahului, Maui route. The new route will be operated three days a week.
In November, Virgin America launched daily nonstop flights from San Francisco to Honolulu.
The Hawaii flightsย will be operated with new Airbus A320 aircraft that are equipped with fuel-saving, ‘sharklet’ wingtip devices, allowing the airline to operate flights more efficiently, especially over longer haul routes.
Copyright Photo: Andres Meneses/AirlinersGallery.com. Featuring an image of a Hula Girl and named “Pineapple Express”, Airbus A320-214 N281VA (msn 6669) is one of the aircraft assigned to the flights to Hawaii.
Virgin America aircraft slide show:ย
Video:ย On November 2, Virgin America celebrated the launch of new daily nonstop flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Honolulu International Airport (HNL) with a series of festive events in San Francisco and Honolulu โ including the opportunity for workaholics to score the ultimate #Hawaiiscape with Virgin Group Founder Richard Branson. Virgin America teamed up with Airbnb to encourage travelers to โWork Hard, Hawaiโi Hardโ by experiencing all that the Aloha state has to offer. On December 3, the airlineโs Hawaiโi schedule grew again with daily nonstop flights from SFO to Mauiโs Kahului Airport (OGG).
Hawaiian Airlines (Honolulu) flight HA 24 departed Kahului on Maui at 11:18 a.m. yesterday (May 1) bound for Oakland. The flight crew declared an emergency and landed safely at Kahului Airport (OGG) at 11:50 a.m. after the smell of fumes was detected in the cabin according to MauiNow.com. Theย 224 passengers and 10 crew members safely evacuated the Boeing 767-300.
Hawaiian Airlines issued this short statement:
HA Flight 24 left Maui at 11:18 a.m. for Oakland, and returned to the Maui airport soon after departure due to an odor of fumes in the cabin. The flight crew declared an emergency and landed in OGG at 11:50 a.m. All customers were evacuated via emergency slides. There were 224 customers and 10 crew onboard. At this time there are no reports of serious injuries.
Virgin America (San Francisco) today announced it will start flying from San Francisco to Honolulu, Oahu from November 2, 2015, and Kahului, Maui from December 3, 2015.
In a private call last month, CEO Cush received permission from Hawai’i Governor David Ige to bring Virgin America’s new flight service to the state.
The daily, nonstop flights will be operated with new Airbus A320 aircraft that Virgin America will take delivery of this year, which will be equipped with fuel-saving, ‘sharklet’ wingtip devices, allowing the airline to operate flights more efficiently, especially over longer haul routes. Virgin America is working with the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) and Airbus to ensure that the airline’s new Airbus A320 aircraft are certified for Extended Operation (ETOPS). ETOPS is the standard certification process carriers obtain for longer range over water flights.
Copyright Photo: Brian Peters/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-214 N361VA (msn 5515) with Sharklets arrives at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) before the move to Dallas Love Field (DAL).
WestJet (Calgary) today announced flights between Alberta and Hawaii beginning in December are available for booking on its newly-acquired Boeing 767 wide-body aircraft. The 767, the first in the WestJet fleet, will operate between Calgary and Honolulu, Calgary and Maui and between Edmonton and Maui.
The 767s are configured with 24 seats in Plus, offering wider seats with more recline in a 2-2-2 configuration, meaning each set of two seats is separated by an aisle. There are 238 seats in the main cabin, and all seats have access to power for personal electronic devices such as tablets or phones.
“These aircraft will be redeployed in summer 2016 to new and exciting international destinations that will be announced later this year,” concluded Chris Avery.
The first WestJet Boeing 767-300 will be the former QANTAS Airways 767-338 ER VH-OGJ (msn 25274) which became N324BC with Boeing Capital Corporation. It is due to become C-FOGJ on delivery to WestJet according to ch-aviation.
At this time, the carrier is planning to launch flights with the new Boeing 767s on December 11, 2015. The first two routes will be from Calgary to Honolulu and Kahului (Maui).
Hawaiian Airlines (Honolulu) which is currently preparing to celebrate 85 years of flying on November 11, has answered the riddle for travelers to Maui; Why does the Kulului Airport use the three-letter code of OGG? Hawaiian issued this statement about the new wall at OGG:
Travelers to Maui will no longer have to puzzle over why Kahului Airport’s three-letter airport code is OGG. They need only spend a few minutes at a new wall paying tribute to Capt. Jimmy Hogg, the Hawaiian Airlines pilot and aviation pioneer for whom the airport is named.
The 8-foot tall, 42-foot wide wall at Gate 19 was presented on September 15 by Hawaiian Airlines, the State Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
“We were approached with the idea of sharing the story of Captain Hogg’s life and career by TSA employees in Kahului, who are asked questions everyday about the origin of OGG,” said Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, Hawai’i’s oldest and largest commercial airline. “Kahului Airport officials offered to provide us with the space and we were delighted to design this fitting tribute to Jimmy, whose epic career ran from the earliest days of commercial aviation in Hawai’i to the dawn of the jet age.”
Born and raised in Lฤซhu’e, Kaua’i on a sugar plantation, Hogg grew up watching airplanes land at Nฤwiliwili and decided at the age of 12 that he was destined to become a pilot. He started his aviation career on January 1, 1930 at Inter-island Airways as a mechanic’s helper. He became a co-pilot in 1936, and captain the following year. He went on to achieve a series of “firsts” with the airline, which was renamed Hawaiian Airlines in October 1941. Hogg made the first commercial flight after the attack on Pearl Harbor, coming under ground fire from those mistaking his plane for an enemy aircraft. On January 14, 1958, he flew Hawaiian Airlines’ first trans-Pacific flight, delivering a DC-6 from the West Coast to Honolulu.
When the Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA) began to standardize airport navigational beacons after World War II, it turned to Hogg for assistance. In 1957, when it was decided that Kahului Airport needed a three-letter code, the CAA took the opportunity to honor one of the pioneers of Hawai’i aviation. Hogg retired from Hawaiian Airlines in 1968 and passed away at the age of 84 in 1992. A video recap of his life is located at the bottom of this story.
Anniversary Activities
The dedication of the Capt. Jimmy Hogg Memorial Wall at Kahului Airport kicks off a series of celebrations leading up to Hawaiian Airlines’ 85th anniversary on November 11, 2014.
On October 4, 2014, Hawaiian Airlines will host an all-day community event at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii in Hilo, the airline’s first destination. Residents of Hawai’i Island are invited to enjoy the museum as well as live entertainment and exhibits. Weather permitting, free rides will be offered on the airline’s original aircraft, a 1929 Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker.
Copyright Photo: Ivan K. Nishimura/Blue Wave Group/AirlinersGallery.com. Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker NC251M (msn 154) is pictured at Honolulu.
Hawaiian Airlines Aircraft Slide Show:ย
Trivia contests via Hawaiian Airlines social media channels will offer prizes throughout the months of October and November, including drawings for free sightseeing rides on the historic Bellanca.
On November 11, 2014, Hawaiian Airlines’ Team Kลkua of employees will be participating in simultaneous community service projects on the islands of Kaua’i and Hawai’i.
“Hawaiian Airlines has been flying almost as long as the advent of commercial aviation, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this yearโboth of which are remarkable achievements,” said Dunkerley. “We thank our dedicated employees and our loyal customers, whom both are key reasons why Hawaiian Airlines is able to celebrate a successful and rich 85-year history of service to the Hawaiian Islands and the world.”
Celebrating 85 Years of Service
On November 11, 1929, Inter-Island Airways (the company changed its name to Hawaiian Airlines in 1941) launched Hawai’i’s first-ever scheduled interisland air service using two Sikorsky S-38 amphibian propeller planes that carried eight passengers and two crewmembers, and had a top cruising speed of 110 MPH.
The company’s inaugural flight 85 years ago from Honolulu to Hilo, with a stop on Maui, took one hour and 50 minutes. The first flight to Kaua’i was made the following day and all the Hawaiian Islands were soon receiving air service on a regular basis.
Along with being Hawai’i’s first commercial airline, Hawaiian Airlines’ 85-year history of service has featured several other notable achievements, including:
Introducing airmail and air cargo service to the Hawaiian Islands in 1934.
Becoming America’s first federally certified air cargo carrier in 1942.
Introducing Hawai’i’s first aircraft with pressurized passenger cabins in 1952.
Introducing Hawai’i’s first inter-island jet aircraft in 1966.
Becoming the nation’s first airline to operate a commercial flight with an all-female flight crew in 1979.
Being the first Hawai’i-based airline to offer scheduled service between Hawai’i and the U.S. Mainland in 1985.
Today, Hawaiian Airlines has a fleet of 50 aircraft โ 18 Boeing 717-200 jets for interisland flights in Hawai’i; 11 Boeing 767-300 and 18 Airbus 330-200 wide-body jets for transpacific and international service; and three ATR-42 for its new turbo prop service that launched earlier this year, ‘Ohana by Hawaiian.
Hawaiian Airlines will have four more A330s joining the fleet by the end of 2015. By the end of year 2020, the airline plans to have 22 A330s total and 16 new narrow body A321neo aircraft, along with six new A330-800neo aircraft starting in 2019.
Video:ย Do you know why the Kahului Airport code is OGG? The code of this Hawaiian Airlines station is named after Captain Jimmy Hogg, an accomplished pilot who started his career as a mechanicโs helper with Inter-Island Airways of Hawaii then later became the Captain of Flight Operation for Hawaiian Airlines.
Hawaiian Airlines (Honolulu) has announced it has added more flights between Los Angeles and Maui and O’ahu for the November 2014 to January 2015 period, offering an expanded schedule.
Hawaiian Airlines currently operates daily year-round nonstop service between Los Angeles and Kahului, Maui. Beginning on November 20, a second flight will be added that will range from four-times weekly to daily over seven weeks of service, adding more than 20,000 seats to both Los Angeles and Maui travel markets.
Thrice daily service is currently offered between Los Angeles and Honolulu. Beginning on December 5, a fourth flight will be added that will range from three- to five-times weekly service throughout the month of December. A total of more than 8,400 seats will be added to both Los Angeles and O’ahu travel markets over four weeks of service.
Both seasonal flight additions will be operated by Hawaiian Airlines’ wide-body, twin-aisle Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft, seating 264 passengers in a two-class cabin, with 18 in Business Class and 246 in the Main Cabin.
Copyright Photo: Steve Bailey/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 767-33A ER WL N580HA (msn 28140) departs from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
‘Ohana by Hawaiian (Hawaiian Airlines) (Honolulu) has announced it will be expanding its route network for the summer to include Maui, connecting more islands and offering kama’ฤina (residents) and visitors more options and more flexibility for neighbor island travel.
According to the airline, beginning this July, Hawai’i’s newest turboprop operation will offer daily flights between Kahului, Maui (OGG) and Moloka’i (MKK); Kahului and Kona, Hawai’i Island (KOA); and Kahului and Hilo (ITO). Also announced is an additional flight between Honolulu and Moloka’i which will also operate for the summer period, increasing its existing service from thrice daily to four times daily between the two islands.
‘Ohana by Hawaiian operates its flights using 48-seat ATR 42 aircraft with a special livery designed by Hilo-based artist Sig Zane and his son Kลซha’o, who both used Hawaiian Airlines’ interisland route map as inspiration for the design, weaving three kapa patterns: piko (navel), representing ancestry and progeny; manu (bird), representing both a bird in flight and the prow of a canoe, the traditional form of migration; and kalo (taro), representing family. The ATR 42 aircraft are named after a significant wind on each of the islands that ‘Ohana by Hawaiian will serve: Holo Kaomi of Paomaสปi, Lฤna’i; Kaiฤulu of Wai’anae, O’ahu; and Hikipua of Hฤlawa, Moloka’i.
Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) will re-institute Dallas/Fort Worth-Los Angeles service on November 3. The restored route will be operated as a Delta Connection route with Embraer 175s according to Airline Route.
In addition, Delta continues to add feeder and long-range routes to the Seattle/Tacoma market in addition to what has already been reported. According to Airline Route, the carrier will add three new routes on December 20 adding further competition to Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma): Bozeman, Montana (ERJ 175), Kahului, Maui, Hawaii (757) and Los Cabos, Mexico (A319).
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Embraer ERJ 170-200LR (ERJ 175) N608CZ (msn 17000195) of Compass Airlines taxies from the gate at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
Mokulele Airlinesย (Mokulele Express) (Kona) has announced that effective July 19, 2013, it will begin offering service betweenย Kona International Airportย on the Big Island and Kapalua Airport onย Maui.
Mokulele will operate four daily flights between Kona to Kapalua. When the new service launches on July 19,ย Mokuleleย will become the first airline to operate regular service between the two cities.
Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (Honolulu), parent company of Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., reported consolidated net income for the three months ended June 30, 2012 of $3.9 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, on total operating revenue of $484.6 million. This compares to a net loss of $50.0 million, or $0.99 per basic and diluted share, on total operating revenue of $395.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2011.ย Results for the three months ended June 30, 2011 included the impact of a non-recurring pre-tax lease termination expense of $70.0 million related to the purchase of 15 Boeing 717-200 aircraft previously operated under lease agreements.
Reflecting economic fuel expense, the Company reported adjusted net income of $11.7 million, or $0.22 per diluted share for the three months ended June 30, 2012.ย This compares with adjusted net income of $0.1 million, reflecting economic fuel expense and excluding the impact of lease termination costs, or $0.00 per diluted share, for the three months ended June 30, 2011.ย Table 4 sets forth a reconciliation of net income (loss) and diluted net income (loss) per share on a GAAP basis and non-GAAP net income (loss) and diluted net income (loss) per share reflecting economic fuel expense and excluding lease termination costs.
Copyright Photo: Andy Jung. Boeing 717-22A N484HA (msn 55129) departs from Kahului, Maui.
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