Hawaiian Airlines Marks 83rd Anniversary

Manila Bulletin
November 20, 2012

Hawai‘i’s hometown airline and the pioneering carrier of the Pacific, Hawaiian Airlines marked its 83rd anniversary of continuous service in Hawai‘i.

“We take great pride in being ‘Hawai‘i’s airline’ and the distinguished place our company holds in aviation history is a tribute to our hard-working employees and loyal customers,” said Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian’s president and CEO. “After 83 years, Hawaiian is becoming a global carrier, and one that remains comprehensively focused on Hawaii. As we continue building on this legacy of service to our islands, we owe a debt of gratitude to all those who have made this milestone possible.”

Hawai‘i’s introduction to the age of commercial air transportation began on November 11, 1929, when the inaugural flight of Inter-Island Airways (renamed Hawaiian Airlines in 1941) departed from John Rodgers Field (now Honolulu International Airport) bound for Hilo with thousands looking on.

The Sikorsky S-38 amphibian biplane, one of only two in the new fleet, was filled to capacity that day with eight passengers and two crewmembers. With a top cruising speed of 110 MPH, the inaugural flight took more than three hours to complete, which included a stopover on Maui. The first flight to Kaua‘i took place the next day and soon all the islands were receiving air service on a regular basis.

In 1930, its first full year of operations, the new airline carried more than 10,000 passengers – a total that Hawaiian today exceeds daily – and the growing company soon began adding newer, larger, and more aircraft and hiring more employees to improve its quality of service for Hawai‘i, a commitment that is ongoing.

Today, Hawaiian is the largest it has ever been with more flights to more destinations, more aircraft and more employees than at any other time in its history. The airline currently operates more than 200 flights daily serving 11 gateway cities in North America, six in Asia, two in the South Pacific, and one in Oceania with new services planned for Brisbane, Australia (November 27) and Auckland, New Zealand (March 13, 2013). Hawaiian has been providing nonstop service, four times weekly, between Manila and Honolulu since April 2008, and is the only US carrier offering nonstop service on the route.

Continued growth into new and existing markets outside Hawai‘i is planned. Dunkerley noted, “Our long term plan is focused on expansion into markets that have the greatest potential for growth in visits to Hawai‘i, and we look forward to bringing many more visitors to our islands in the months and years ahead as we continue to expand our operations and carry the Hawai‘i brand to more places.”