HONOLULU, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In a significant first step of
its long-range fleet plan, Hawaiian Airlines today announced the acquisition
of two new wide-body Airbus A330-200 aircraft that will accelerate the start
of the company's transition to a new Airbus fleet to 2011.
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The two jets are in addition to the agreement that Hawaiian announced
earlier this year to purchase up to 24 new Airbus aircraft.
Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian's president and CEO, said, "These additional
aircraft underscore Hawaiian's commitment to future growth and to reaching new
markets globally, which will be a huge plus for Hawaii travelers and for the
long-term health and diversity of Hawaii's tourism industry.
The two A330s are being leased from AWAS and are scheduled to join
Hawaiian's fleet in the first and second quarters of 2011, respectively.
Hawaiian also announced a separate agreement with AWAS to extend to 2011 the
leases of two Boeing 767-300ER jets currently in the fleet. The newly leased
A330s will ultimately replace the B767s with the extended leases.
The wide-body, twin-aisle A330-200 seats 298 passengers in a two-class
configuration and has an operating range of 5,500 nautical miles, which is
significantly farther than Hawaiian's current fleet of B767-300ER aircraft.
With the A330-200, Hawaiian will increase its seating capacity, improve its
fuel efficiency, and have the ability to provide nonstop service to all of
North America and eastern Asia.
In February, Hawaiian signed a purchase agreement with Airbus to acquire
six A330-200 aircraft and six A350XWB-800 (Extra Wide-Body) aircraft direct
from the manufacturer, with purchase rights for an additional six A330-200s
and six A350XWB-800s.
The first deliveries of A330s under Hawaiian's purchase agreement with
Airbus will join the fleet in 2012, with the A350s scheduled for delivery
starting in 2017. The purchase agreement has a total list-price value of
approximately $4.4 billion if the purchase rights to all 24 aircraft are
exercised.
About Hawaiian Airlines
The nation's top-ranked airline for service in the 2007 Airline Quality
Ratings, Hawaiian has led all U.S. carriers in on-time performance for each of
the past four straight years (2004-2007) and in fewest misplaced bags for the
past three years (2005-2007) as reported by the U.S. Department of
Transportation. Consumer surveys by Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and
Zagat have all ranked Hawaiian as the top domestic airline serving Hawaii.
Now in its 79th year of continuous service in Hawaii, Hawaiian is the
state's biggest and longest-serving airline, as well as the second largest
provider of passenger air service between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii.
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 approximately 155 daily jet
flights among the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc.
(Nasdaq: HA). Additional information is available at HawaiianAirlines.com.
SOURCE Hawaiian Airlines
CONTACT: Keoni Wagner of Hawaiian Airlines, +1-808-838-6778,
Keoni.Wagner@HawaiianAir.com
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Web site: http://www.HawaiianAirlines.com