tommieboy
SOH-CM-2025
The end of an era.
This morning (10/29/25), Hawaiian Airlines' last flight using the "HAWAIIAN" call sign landed in Honolulu. I just checked the flight data, and it shows that Hawaiian Airlines has since switched over to their new "ALASKA" call sign. So, from ICAO's and FAA's perspective, Hawaiian Airlines does not exist anymore. From the public side of things, the aircraft will maintain their Hawaiian Airlines livery, but for how long is unknown.
According to the DOT merger agreement, after September 2030, Alaska Airlines will no longer be obligated to fly/maintain an inter-island operation in Hawaii. Some believe that Alaska merged with Hawaiian as a quicker way to acquire a fleet of large-body aircraft to expand its growth into the long-haul international market, and that the local inter-island operation (a money loser) was the unwanted stepchild that came along with the deal. Based on that, some also speculate that Alaska will withdraw from the inter-island market in 2030, effectively leaving Hawaii with no major inter-island carrier.
I started flying inter-island on Aloha and Hawaiian back in the early 1960s when some of their aircraft still had pistons and props. My favorite aircraft was Aloha's 737-200; a.ka. the "Tin Mouse." My favorite inter-island approach/landing was over the mountain into Lihue, Kauai. It was one of the steepest approaches in the islands, and on a windy day, it was a butt clincher. And of course, upon landing, watching those crazy looking engine thrust deflectors (a.k.a. buckets, clamshells, etc.) being deployed and retracted made the flight well worth the money! We didn't have "sky-gates" back then, and had to access the aircraft via the aircraft's built-in retractable stairways. Those were pretty cool to watch, too. Sometimes we would get soaking wet boarding and exiting the aircraft as Kauai rained a lot back then. Also, there were lots of beautiful sugarcane fields surrounding the airport, too. On a good day, which were many, you would also see wonderful blue skies, fluffy white clouds, and a deep blue ocean. I really miss those days.
As of 2025, Transair Global is still flying a 737-200 N413JG between the islands, but only as a private charter. Still, the thought has occurred to me.
Tommy
This morning (10/29/25), Hawaiian Airlines' last flight using the "HAWAIIAN" call sign landed in Honolulu. I just checked the flight data, and it shows that Hawaiian Airlines has since switched over to their new "ALASKA" call sign. So, from ICAO's and FAA's perspective, Hawaiian Airlines does not exist anymore. From the public side of things, the aircraft will maintain their Hawaiian Airlines livery, but for how long is unknown.
According to the DOT merger agreement, after September 2030, Alaska Airlines will no longer be obligated to fly/maintain an inter-island operation in Hawaii. Some believe that Alaska merged with Hawaiian as a quicker way to acquire a fleet of large-body aircraft to expand its growth into the long-haul international market, and that the local inter-island operation (a money loser) was the unwanted stepchild that came along with the deal. Based on that, some also speculate that Alaska will withdraw from the inter-island market in 2030, effectively leaving Hawaii with no major inter-island carrier.
I started flying inter-island on Aloha and Hawaiian back in the early 1960s when some of their aircraft still had pistons and props. My favorite aircraft was Aloha's 737-200; a.ka. the "Tin Mouse." My favorite inter-island approach/landing was over the mountain into Lihue, Kauai. It was one of the steepest approaches in the islands, and on a windy day, it was a butt clincher. And of course, upon landing, watching those crazy looking engine thrust deflectors (a.k.a. buckets, clamshells, etc.) being deployed and retracted made the flight well worth the money! We didn't have "sky-gates" back then, and had to access the aircraft via the aircraft's built-in retractable stairways. Those were pretty cool to watch, too. Sometimes we would get soaking wet boarding and exiting the aircraft as Kauai rained a lot back then. Also, there were lots of beautiful sugarcane fields surrounding the airport, too. On a good day, which were many, you would also see wonderful blue skies, fluffy white clouds, and a deep blue ocean. I really miss those days.
As of 2025, Transair Global is still flying a 737-200 N413JG between the islands, but only as a private charter. Still, the thought has occurred to me.
Tommy