Hawaiian Airlines views the restart of its Australian flights as a major step in its international recovery, although CEO Peter Ingram warns the omicron coronavirus variant could still cause more setbacks in the slowly recovering Asia-Pacific region.
Hawaiian, which provides the only regularly scheduled air link between the two island chains, paused flights for 17 months at the request of the American Samoa government.
The third CRAF call-up in 41 years will include three aircraft each from American Airlines, Atlas Air, Delta Air Lines and Omni Air; two from Hawaiian Airlines and four from United Airlines.
Hawaiian Airlines is terminating its Ohana turboprop operation, confirming that the service will not return after months of suspension due to the coronavirus crisis.
A strong rebound in demand from U.S. mainland markets is providing a major boost for Hawaiian Airlines, but for full recovery the airline still needs similar improvement in international and inter-island markets.
Hawaiian Airlines is the latest U.S. operator to cite growing momentum in bookings, and as a result the company’s outlook for the first quarter has improved.
After a choppy start to 2021, Hawaiian Airlines expects to reach 75% to 85% of its 2019 capacity in the summertime, with its North American network driving the majority of that growth.
Hawaiian Airlines is resuming U.S. East Coast flying in December, reinstating the two farthest regularly scheduled domestic passenger routes in the world.
Hawaiian Airlines will launch pre-travel COVID-19 testing for passengers at two U.S. west coast airports beginning Oct. 15, in anticipation of the relaxation of Hawaii’s 14-day quarantine order for out-of-state arrivals.