AWA to Hawaii

[Whale Rider]

bizjournals.com
America West to begin new Phoenix-Honolulu service
Monday July 11, 4:43 pm ET

America West Airlines will fly its own airplanes from Phoenix and Las Vegas to four Hawaiian islands, the carrier said Monday. America West (NYSE: AWA - News) will fly from Phoenix to Honolulu, Oahu; Kahului, Maui; Lihue, Kauai; and Kona, Hawaii. In addition, the airline will also offer service from its Las Vegas hub to Kahului.

The service will first be added to the America West schedule at the beginning

of the peak holiday period on Dec. 16, with expanded service planned for March 2006.

America West has offered Phoenix-Hawaii service through a code-share agreement with Hawaiian Airlines (AMEX: HA - News), but not on its own until now. "The tide is high, the surf's up, come on everybody, we're going to Hawaii," said Scott Kirby, America West's executive vice president, sales and marketing, in a prepared statement.

"This is an exciting day not only for America West, but for all of Phoenix," said Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, in a statement. "We're delighted that our hometown airline will offer non-stop flights to four Hawaiian islands. We also anticipate this new service will positively affect our economy as we more closely link ourselves with the state of Hawaii and its significant tourism industry."

According to America West's Web site, round-trip coach seats from Phoenix to Honolulu are selling for about $700, and first class under $1,400, excluding taxes and airport fees.

America West will provide the new service aboard the 190-seat Boeing 757-200.

America West Vacations will offer air and hotel packages to all four islands, and condominium packages as well. Tempe-based America West operates nearly 1,000 flights daily to more than 90 destinations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica. The airline has announced its plans to merge with Arlington, Va.-based US Airways Inc. (OTCBB: UAIRQ - News) with $1.5 billion in new capitalization lined up. The two airlines are awaiting approval from a bankruptcy court judge, America West shareholders, and regulatory approvals from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Air Transportation Stabilization Board.

 

[Formula1]

Does this mean that AWA will be getting more 757's or will they just use the ones that they have?Anyone?

 

[viking737]

America West has offered Phoenix-Hawaii service through a code-share agreement with Hawaiian Airlines (AMEX: HA - News), but not on its own until now

Didn't AWA fly 747's to Hawaii a few years ago?

 

[typhoonpilot]

America West has offered Phoenix-Hawaii service through a code-share agreement with Hawaiian Airlines (AMEX: HA - News), but not on its own until now

Didn't AWA fly 747's to Hawaii a few years ago?

Yes, they did and they lost their shirt doing it.


TP

 

[PHX767]

They had at least 4 over water (ETOPS) 757's when I was there some years ago..

(rummaging though old study guides... ah here it is)

908,909,910 & 916AW all show that they are ETOPS equipped, as far as the electrical system and hydraulics any ways as of the June '96 study guide.

Are there more 757's that can make the crossing? Seems like it's a bit restrictive to tie up 4/14ths of your fleet to all of these island destinations.

 

[Metro752]

ATA is opening a PHX 757 base on OCT 1

 

[Cactus73]

We will have 10 ETOPS 757. The board approved $7 million to convert 7 more airplanes to ETOPS for the Hawaii service.

The three ex-Eastern birds will not be in the ETOPS program.

AWA did serve Hawaii with very old 747's. The flights then went on to Japan with loads so low some flights only had 2-3 paying passengers.

This time management is doing it right with 757's and they think they can make money.

I believe 901-910 will be the ETOPS airplanes - The new flights will be operated by the new USAirway's with AWA crews.

 

[Cactus73]

ATA is opening a PHX 757 base on OCT 1

And your point is?

 

[Metro752]

There ain't no cactus up in here! ............ er US Air!

 

[Juvat]

There ain't no cactus up in here! ............ er US Air!

WTFO?

 

[JetMonkey]

All I gotta say is...Shaka brah

 

[Metro752]

I'm just kidding, calm down, everything will be ooooooookay as long as you don't press the ... button!

 

[ILStoMinimums]

I was thinking that an airline needed to be all ETOPS or non-ETOPS, or can just a few planes be equipped?

 

[Fly-n-hi]

It was the old expensive 747's, the war in Iraq, and bad planning that almost cost AWA it's shirt...not Hawaii.

I always get a kick out of the guys and gals who say that "Hawaii is a money losing market" or "Hawaii is only good for attracting frequent flyers". If you think that then you need to go do a little more research.

Just another example of why pilots should stay out of the business side of things and stick with the flying part.

 

[TWA Dude]

I was thinking that an airline needed to be all ETOPS or non-ETOPS, or can just a few planes be equipped?

To be etops qualified the airline needs OpSpecs approval which means an acceptable inflight engine shut-down rate, crew and maintenance training and an etops-specific MEL. The airplane is usually already etops-ready. The issue at AWA is that the oldest batch of 757's (ex-Eastern) were not built etops-ready (something to do with the ram-air-turbine (RAT) I think).

It's a similar kind of thing with CATII/III capability. All AWA aircraft are CAT-capable but as yet only the Airbus fleet is CAT-certified. The 737 CAT approval should be this year.

 

[General Lee]

ETOPS---Engines Turn Or People Swim.



Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[OffHot]

Fly-n-hi, support your case please... both island carriers are bankrupt and the highest used frequent flyer miles are used to the islands.

 

[mdanno808]

Actually, Hawaiian Airlines is out of Bankruptcy and has had a string of profits for over a year and a half. Also, since Sept. 11, loads to Hawaii from the mainland have gone through the roof, and continue to climb. The fact is, that for many of the larger carriers, the Hawaii routes have been one of the few routes they have that continue to make them money. Having said that, the market is beginning to saturate with competition, which a year ago did not exist. North American, and ATA have steadily increased their service to the islands, while Hawaiian continues to vow that they plan on expanding their service as well. Now AWA will start to fly PHX and LAS to Hawaii. Is there enough traffic to keep everyone's seat's full? Who knows.


Also, the main difference between ETOPS and non-ETOPS 757's has to do with the Electrical systems. The ETOPS aircraft have an HMG (or HDG depending on your carrier's manuals) which is a hydraulic generator which acts as a backup in the event of a dual AC Bus failure. The rat is the same on all of the 757's, and just acts to give you Hydraulics in the event of a dual engine failure. The cost to re-wire non HDG equipped aircraft to make them ETOPS capable is pretty substantial.

 

[ILStoMinimums]

Oh OK understand.

 

[Erndogg]

Fly-n-hi, support your case please... both island carriers are bankrupt and the highest frequent flyer used miles are used to the islands

Hawaiian Airlines is out of BK. During BK Hawaiian made substantial profits post 9-11 due to the drop off in international travel by Americans. Hawaii was a much safer place at the time and Hawaiian could raise fares due to the unforcasted demand that exsisted.
It took a couple of years for all the other carriers to realize the profit margins on Hawaiian routes were pretty good compared to other markets. Now the market is already saturated and fares have dropped to brake even or losing margins.
Hawaiian will feel the effects of losing it's code share with AWA- the feed it provided made our PHX-HNL flight one of our best $$$ makers. Hopefully AWA will keep the fares at a reasonable level so we can all make $$$.