Hawaiian

[Cathay747400]

Anyone know what is going on at HAL these days? I have read they are making money now but are still in BK. How many they got on furlough and what the future holds? Does anyone know if Capt Mike Dudley is still there?

I always thought Hawiian was a really cool airline. I hope they do better now than they have done in the past.

 

[Jim]

We 390 pilots on the list with 98 of us on furlough (292 active). We are still in bankruptcy with the winning reorganization plan supposed to be announced before the end of the month and emergence from bankruptcy in October.

Despite the bankruptcy, we have been making a profit for the last 15 months or so. We had an $8.9 million profit for June and a $35.4 million for the first 6 months of 2004. Last year we had a $77 million profit. I think we are the third most profitable airline in the country. The profits are based on HAL paying its bills as if they were not in bankruptcy. When all is said and done, they will be higher.

The bankruptcy has been extended through various measures that were not HAL's doing, but the creditors (Boeing in particular). We've had two federal trustees and lots of in-fighting. It seems to be working out for the best.

All the reorganization plans include expansion and I believe our furloughees (me included) will be back by next summer. This is just my gut feeling and I have nothing to back it up.

We managed to hold on to our contract and retirement through out the bankruptcy process. The Trustee threatened to try and get the Judge to throw them out, but never had the ammo to file for this. To throw out a contract, it has to be proven to the Judge that the contract is causing the problems. Than the Judge has to allow time for negotiations to reach an agreement before he can impose anything. If there is no agreement, the Judge can impose a contract but than the union can immediately exercise "self-help" under the RLA. At HAL, we had some meetings and basically agreed we would take a strike vote immediately if our contract was touched (including retirement). The MEC saw the pilot group resolve and so did the Trustee. He changed his tune to where he just paid all our outstanding retirement fund payments.

HAL will emerge in October in a strong position with a great future. All the analyst seem to agree on this. I can't wait to get back and have no plans to try and leave for "greener pastures" afterwards.

Mike Dudley is a SEA based 767 Captain. He is no longer the Chief Pilot. I think he saw the light and did not ask for a second term when his 2 years was up. I would not wish that job on anyone....

 

[Sleepyhead]

What about the $127 million the IRS says that HA owes them?

 

[HAL]

What about the $127 million the IRS says that HA owes them?

That is just another item that will be negotiated as part of the bankruptcy proceedings. Just like the millions that Ansett claimed against HA after the re-negotiated the lease agreements on their planes. Ansett is claiming the difference between what the origianal leases and the new leases would have brought them over the 20 (30?) years of the lease agreement, even though Ansett signed the new lease agreement! It's all part of the game in bankruptcys.

HAL

 

[Dan Roman]

Who knows with the IRS but when Liberty House went C11 the IRS had a claim of about $130 million and they settled for $6 million. Regardless, it was in the local news that whatever the agreed upon settlement is they have 6 years to pay it.

This is an interesting airline.
They are the number 1 on time airline in the US. The august issue of Travel and Leisure reported that Hawaiian was voted the best airline in the US. Last year they were the 3rd most profitable airline in the US. They still are quite profitable despite the increase in fuel, thanks to hedging, buying fuel in Japan and very efficient 717's and 767's.
Look for however ends up owning the airline to utilize the ER capabilites of their 767's (10hr flights).

 

[Dan Roman]

I mean WHOever

 

[Cathay747400]

Does HAL still fly the DC10? Last I had heard they were still flying 2 for the
military but that was over a year ago.


Good luck to everyone at HAL. I think it is a fantastic company. I tried to get hired there years ago when the DHC-7's, 9's and 8's were around and I lived in Guam but I wasn't fortunate enough to have the opportunity. I have jumpseated in the past a few times on HAL and it was always a pleasurable experience. Hope to see the future for HAL and some new routes and aircraft.

PLK
CX

 

[HAL]

The last DC-10 went bye-bye around March of '03. We had 14 767's on the property at that time and were supposed to take delivery of two more, but that was also the month HA declared bankruptcy and cancelled the last two 767's. Too bad too, because HA could certainly use them now. (And so could all the furloughees that would be working too).


HAL