HONOLULU, April 30, 1997 -- Building on its long-standing commitment to community support in Hawaii, Hawaiian Airlines on May 1, 1997 will introduce a new program designed to help ease the budgetary burden on schools by providing access to free travel for teacher training, student excursions, scholastic and athletic competitions or any other school business.
The Hawaiian Airlines "Akamai Miles" Program will allow members of Hawaiian Gold+Plus, the airline's frequent flyer program, to designate a school of their choice to receive 10 percent bonus miles every time the member flies on Hawaiian Airlines. For example, when an Hawaiian Gold+Plus member earns the standard 1000 miles for an interisland round trip, his/her designated school will be awarded 100 bonus miles, with the member retaining his/her full 1000 miles. West Coast trips, measured in actual miles, are worth roughly 5000 miles to members and 500 miles to designated schools.
Hawaiian Gold+Plus will establish a special account for Hawaii schools (kindergarten through high school), where the bonus miles can be banked and later redeemed for free travel on Hawaiian Airlines, defraying school business travel costs.
Paul Casey, Hawaiian Airlines president and chief executive officer, said the Akamai Miles program was designed to help Hawaii schools cope with growing fiscal pressures. "With this new program, Hawaiian Airlines hopes to make a meaningful contribution to the education of Hawaii's children - which is vital to our social and economic future in the Islands. Miles accumulated by schools in this program can be used to defray the cost of business travel, and the schools' earning power is limited only by the number of Hawaiian Gold+Plus members who designate them in the program," he said.
Over its 6-year history in Hawaii, Hawaiian Airlines has contributed to countless community programs and non-profit organizations. In 1996, the airline donated more than $400,000 in funds, goods and services to a variety of organizations that offered programs promoting education, the arts, youth and family services, and other community resources in Hawaii.
Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaii's first and largest airline, provides scheduled and charter flights to Hawaii from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Portland, Seattle and Anchorage in addition to more than 160 daily jet flights among the Hawaiian Islands.