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.
When someone asks in Hawaiian Pidgin, “Can, no can?” the answer is a resounding “Can!” as long as the item remains a top priority for the Green and future administration