In the end, this episode should prompt all three players — TSA, the airline, and the State of Hawaiʻi — to examine how coordination and passenger care can improve when disruptions cascade. Hawaiʻi invests heavily in promoting a world-class visitor experience. Making sure stranded travelers are not left to fend for themselves on an airport floor is part of delivering on that promise — especially when the breakdown happens in plain view of the visitors the state works so hard to attract.
Turning Hawaiian’s story into a morality play might make for easy headlines, but it does little justice to the reality. The airline wasn’t blindsided by its own arrogance — it was sideswiped by Covid, by Hawaii’s own prolonged shutdowns, by Japan’s deep and ongoing economic struggles. To say it “failed” because it didn’t copy Alaska is to confuse hindsight with analysis.
But one thing is for sure, after all is said and done, “Hawaiian Airlines” as we know it now, is going to look much different to those who grew up flying them.
As the aviation industry continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to observe how these developments unfold and shape the future of air travel, particularly in Hawaii, for residents and tourists alike.
As with many in Hawai‘i over the past month, the 13th convening of the Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture,…
“What If” Hawaiian Airlines have grown to something bigger than itself if it took the growth model of Alaska Airlines, over a long period?
t’s fascinating to learn about the airline’s transition from being a Kamaaina (locally) owned company to being owned by many, but not by anyone in Hawaii. This history hasn’t been shared in the news of the buyout.
Here is the cliff notes version.
Indeed, if you go back in the history of Hawai‘i aviation and the issues of ownership and who operated, the mere fact that an airline that was not “Hawai‘i based” came in to buy a “Hawai‘i based airline” that didn’t elicit an immediate hearing in the State Capitol on the merits of it told me that, indeed, the relationship between the people of Hawai‘i, its government officials, and its aviation options, has very much changed.
The “formal end”, therefore would be May 11, 2023, and if one day a politician wants to make a new holiday for Americans to celebrate, that would probably be the date it’s pegged to. This is the date that all other rules were removed, and formally reverted to “full normal”.
Now, let us see if this example of reaching out takes hold with other politicians, and how they will interact with people when the Communication Director in their office is away.