HONOLULU – Hawaiian Airlines today welcomed the arrival of its newest flight between Hawaii and a key western U.S. city with the launch of its service connecting Honolulu with Phoenix, Arizona.
Hawaiian is the only commercial carrier offering daily, nonstop widebody service between Phoenix and Hawaii. The new route will generate an additional 1,764 seats per week to Hawaii from a market representing the nation's sixth largest city and one of America's fastest growing metropolitan areas.
“It's encouraging that Hawaiian Airlines is expanding airlift to and from Hawaii and they are to be congratulated for the launching of flights from their ninth mainland gateway city,” said Mike McCartney, chairman of the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Passengers departing this morning from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport were greeted at the boarding gate by entertainers performing Hawaiian music and hula, and a fresh flower lei from the flight attendants. The ceremonial festivities included a Hawaiian blessing ceremony from Kahu (Rev.) Richard Kamanu of Kapaa First Hawaiian Church on Kauai. Upon arrival in Honolulu, passengers were welcomed with Hawaiian music and a fresh flower lei.
“The initiation of service to Phoenix, which is the sixth new transpacific route we've added this year, represents a big step in Hawaiian's expansion into new markets,” said John W. Adams, Hawaiian's chairman, chief executive officer and president. “Phoenix is a vibrant center of growth opportunity in the Southwest, and our partnership with America West Airlines will create an exciting new gateway between Hawaii and major markets across the country.”
Flight 35 will depart Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport daily at 10:45 a.m. and arrive at Honolulu International Airport at 2:20 p.m. The return Flight 36 will depart Honolulu at 10:15 p.m. and arrive in Phoenix the following morning at 7:15 a.m.
On October 27, the schedules of both flights will be adjusted to accommodate the change in Daylight Savings Time.
With the addition of service to Phoenix, travelers to and from Hawaii can take advantage of Hawaiian's code sharing partnership benefits with America West Airlines. Phoenix is a major America West hub, where the carrier connects flights to more than 40 major cities nationwide, including New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., Tampa, Denver, and Salt Lake City.
Hawaiian's ticket check-in and baggage claim facilities are based in the same airport terminal location as America West. As a result, Hawaii-based customers flying through Phoenix to points beyond in the continental U.S. can enjoy the convenience of booking flight plans through America West and experiencing seamless terminal connections. Likewise, America West customers flying to Hawaii from any market served by the national carrier can enjoy the same benefits by connecting to Hawaiian Airlines.
Frequent flyer provisions of the new agreement will allow members of Hawaiian's HawaiianMiles and America West's FlightFund programs to earn mileage credits and use credits for travel awards across the carriers' respective route systems.
Code sharing, which allows a carrier to sell flights on another carrier as its own by attaching its two-letter booking code to the other carrier's flights listed in worldwide computer reservations systems, provides customers with more travel options. At check-in, passengers will receive boarding passes on both airlines for their connecting code share itineraries.
The Phoenix flights will be operated with Hawaiian's state-of-the-art Boeing 767-300ER extended-range aircraft. The twin-aisle, twin-jet Boeing 767-300ER seats 252 passengers, 18 in First Class and 234 in Coach Class, featuring wide-body comfort and the convenience of a 2-3-2 seating configuration that offers either window or aisle seating to 86 percent of the passengers.
Hawaiian is in the process of replacing its existing wide-body fleet of DC-10 aircraft operating transpacific routes between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland and two South Pacific destinations with 16 state-of-the-art Boeing 767-300ER extended range aircraft by mid-2003. The carrier currently has eight new B767-300ER jets in service between Hawaii and the western U.S. Three more deliveries from Boeing are scheduled by the end of 2002.
With the start of Hawaiian's daily nonstop service between Phoenix and Honolulu, the carrier is now providing transpacific service from nine key western U.S. markets to Hawaii. Hawaiian connects more U.S. cities to Hawaii with daily nonstop service than any other airline, and is the second-largest carrier between the West Coast and Hawaii.
Founded in Honolulu 72 years ago, Hawaiian Airlines is Hawaii's longest-serving and largest airline. The nation's 11th largest airline, it is also the second-largest provider of passenger service between the West Coast and Hawaii.
Hawaiian Airlines takes great pride in its innovative onboard service programs that highlight and promote the people and culture of Hawaii. The airline has earned numerous international awards for service in recent years, including the 2001 Zagat Survey's award for Best Overall U.S. Airline in the Premier category, and the 2001 Diamond Award for In-Flight Service from Onboard Services magazine. Hawaiian was also rated third highest in Travel & Leisure magazine's most recent ranking of the Top 10 U.S. Airlines.
Additional information on Hawaiian Airlines, including previously issued company news releases, is available on the airline's Web site at www.HawaiianAir.com.
Contact:
Keoni Wagner
(808) 838-6778
wagner@HawaiianAir.com