POP QUIZ: What is the number one thing most Hawai‘i visitors forget while preparing for their island vacation?
Today, we bid a fond aloha to the last of our Boeing 767-300ER – the aircraft that propelled Hawaiian Airlines to far-reaching destinations, empowering us to share our authentic hospitality with millions of guests from around the world. The widebody twin-engine jet joined our fleet in 2001, replacing our DC-10s by heralding a new era of aviation engineering at the start of the 21st century.
On Nov. 11, we blew the candles for our 89th birthday and officially began our 90th year of service as Hawai‘i’s airline. The next day, we kept the celebration going by kicking off a yearlong, company-matched employee fundraising drive as a way to give back to our hometown communities – the strong and steady tailwind behind our growth since we introduced commercial air transportation to Hawai‘i in 1929.
We couldn’t think of a better way to close the year than to make history with ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, the mother tongue of the Hawaiian Islands. On Dec. 21, in conjunction with the second anniversary of our service between Haneda Airport (HND) and Kona International Airport (KOA), our flight and guest services crew hosted the first international Hawaiian language flight.
Hauʻoli Lā Hānau (Happy Birthday), Hawaiian Airlines! On Nov. 11, our ‘ohana celebrated our 89th birthday as Hawaii’s airline! Take a look at some of our favorite uniforms throughout our deeply rooted history in the Hawaiian Islands...
Our passion for Hawai‘i is expressed in many shapes and forms, from the authentic Hawaiian hospitality we share with our guests, to the support we provide local artists in bringing their creative vision to life. Our ‘ohana’s most recent celebration of the Islands took place in San Jose, where our second large-scale, commissioned mural made its debut in the Bay area.
It's no surprise that Hawai‘i is showered with Japanese influence. The rich cultural ties between the Aloha State and the Land of the Rising Sun are part of the reason why 1.6 million Japanese travelers visited Hawai‘i last year, including almost 392,000 who started their vacation early by flying on Hawaiian Airlines.
It’s the dawn of a new day, and we’re seeing more wāhine (women) than ever taking on some of the most challenging roles in the aviation industry. At Hawaiian Airlines, we were in the forefront of women in aviation with the first all-women crew flying in 1979, and we still encourage our fellow wāhine to reach high.
This month in Hawaiian Airlines’ history: we became one of the first commercial carriers in the world to install blended winglets on the Boeing 767. In October 2009, Aircraft 587 was flown to the Boeing factory in Everett, Washington, where it underwent a month-long surgery to install 11-foot attachments to the ends of its aluminum wings.
As Hawaii’s hometown carrier, it’s our kuleana (responsibility and privilege) to serve as ambassadors of the Islands to those who visit our shores. From the moment our guests check in for their flight and are greeted by a member of our Hawaiian Airlines ‘ohana, mea ho'okipa (I am host), our signature hospitality, welcomes them and provides a primer in celebrating our culture of Aloha.