Hawaiian Airlines Tops On-Time Rankings for Fifth Straight Month

Carrier Also #1 For Handling of Passenger Baggage


HONOLULU, May 5, 2004 -- Hawaiian Airlines continued to demonstrate its consistency at keeping travelers on schedule, making it five straight months in March as the nation's #1 airline for on-time performance. Hawaiian also ranked, for the first time, as the nation's best at handling passenger baggage.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today issued its Air Travel Consumer Report for March (see chart below) showing that Hawaiian had the airline industry's best on-time service record with 91.7 percent of its flights arriving on schedule. Hawaii's biggest and longest-serving carrier has topped the nation's airlines for each of the five months since it began reporting monthly statistics to the DOT.

“Reliability, customer care, and competitive airfares are the three keys to success in our business and no one is doing a better job than the people of Hawaiian Airlines,” said Mark Dunkerley, president and chief operating officer of Hawaiian Airlines. “I congratulate all of our employees for maintaining Hawaiian's industry-leading performance.”

The DOT issued its March report comparing the on-time service of Hawaiian and 18 other major and regional airlines that file monthly statistics with the federal agency. On-time service, according to DOT standards, is any flight arriving within 15 minutes of schedule. Rounding out the top five airlines following Hawaiian were Atlantic Southeast Airlines, 87.8 percent; SkyWest Airlines, 87.1 percent; AirTran Airways, 85.3 percent; and JetBlue Airways, 85.0 percent.

For the first quarter, Hawaiian posted an overall on-time service record of 89.5 percent, which also topped the airline industry.

During March, Hawaiian also ranked as the nation's best carrier in handling passenger baggage with only 2.64 reports per 1,000 passengers, marking the first time it has topped this category. The top five carriers after Hawaiian were Alaska Airlines, 2.74 reports; JetBlue Airways, 2.91 reports; AirTran Airways, 3.02 reports, and Continental Airlines, 3.05 reports.

Hawaiian averages approximately 30 transpacific flights and 100 interisland flights daily. Hawaiian's interisland service consists of back-to-back flights with short, 25-minute transition times on the ground between flights that highlights the operational efficiency required of employees for the airline to maintain its industry-leading on-time service record.

On-Time Performance - March 2004

Rank

Airline

% Arr w/in 15 min
1Hawaiian Airlines91.7
2Atlantic Southeast Airlines87.8
3SkyWest Airlines87.1
4AirTran Airways85.3
5JetBlue Airways85.0
6Comair84.4
7US Airways84.1
8Southwest Airlines83.9
9Delta Air Lines83.7
10United Airlines80.8
11ATA Airlines80.4
12Alaska Airlines80.2
13Continental Airlines79.9
14Northwest Airlines79.2
15American Airlines79.0
16ExpressJet Airlines78.4
17America West Airlines74.8
18Atlantic Coast Airlines74.0
19American Eagle Airlines72.8

The DOT's Air Travel Consumer Report for March is available online at www.airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/atcr04.htm.

About Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines, the nation's number one on-time carrier, is recognized as one of the best airlines in America. Business travelers recently surveyed byCondé Nast Traveler rated Hawaiian Airlines as having the best in-flight service and meals of any U.S. carrier. Hawaiian was recently ranked fourth best in the nation overall by Travel + Leisure.

Celebrating its 75th year of continuous service, Hawaiian Airlines is Hawaii's largest and longest-serving airline, and the second largest provider of passenger air service between Hawaii and the mainland U.S. Hawaiian offers nonstop service to Hawaii from more mainland U.S. gateways
than any other airline. Hawaiian also provides approximately 100 daily jet flights among the Hawaiian Islands, as well as service to American Samoa and Tahiti.

Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (AMEX and PCX: HA). Since the appointment of a bankruptcy trustee on May 16, 2003, Hawaiian Holdings has had no involvement in the management of Hawaiian Airlines and has had limited access to information concerning the airline.

Additional information on Hawaiian Airlines is available at www.HawaiianAir.com