Hawaiian Airlines Hiring Airline is Growing and Investing in Hawaii

HONOLULU – Aug. 17, 2009 - To meet the company’s current growth needs and prepare for the first of its new Airbus A330-200 aircraft, Hawaiian Airlines is continuing to hire new employees.

In recent months, Hawaiian has filled more than 100 positions for aircraft mechanics, service representatitives, contract agents, ramp agents, maintenance and cleaning personnel.

By early 2010, an additional 170 jobs will be added, including 25 new pilots and up to 30 flight attendants, to accommodate Hawaiian’s expansion when the first A330 joins the fleet next April. The widebody, twin-aisle Airbus A330 aircraft will seat 294 passengers in a two-class configuration and have an operating range of 6,050 nautical miles, giving Hawaiian the ability to fly nonstop to all of North America nd points in eastern Asia.

“Everyone at Hawaiian has worked hard to keep our company in the enviable position of pursuing our growth strategy,” said Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian’s president and CEO. “We’re delighted to be doing our part in helping the state’s economy by welcoming these new employees and the many more that will be joining us in the months ahead.”

Hawaiian currently has 3,756 employees, of which more than 90 percent live and work in Hawaii. The airline carried nearly 7.9 million passengers in 2008.

In February 2008, Hawaiian signed a purchase agreement with Airbus to acquire six wide-body A330-200 aircraft and six A350XWB-800 (Extra Wide-Body) aircraft, as well as purchase rights for an additional six of each model. In October 2008, the company signed lease agreements to acquire an additional three A330s.


About Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian is the nation’s highest-ranked carrier for service quality and performance in 2008 in the 19th annual Airline Quality Rating study. Hawaiian has also led all U.S. carriers in on-time performance for each of the past five years (2004-2008) and has been an industry leader in fewest misplaced bags during that same period (#1 from 2005- 2007, #2 in 2008) as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Consumer surveys by Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and Zagat have all ranked Hawaiian as the top domestic airline serving Hawaii.

Hawaiian will mark 80 years of continuous service for Hawaii on November 11, 2009. Hawaiian is the state’s biggest and longest-serving airline, as well as the largest provider of passenger air service to Hawaii from the state’s primary visitor markets on the U.S. mainland. Hawaiian offers nonstop service to Hawaii from more U.S. gateway cities (10) than any other airline, as well as service to the Philippines, Australia, American Samoa, and Tahiti. Hawaiian also provides more than 160 daily jet flights within the Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA). Additional information is available at HawaiianAirlines.com.