Question for guys already at Hawaiian

[BentOver]

Question for guys at Hawaiian

Is there any talks or anything about Maui eventually having a few pilots based there? Or will it remain a hub/focus city?

also I was curious what could possibly happen to the SEA base if/when the -76 is gone. Would they definitely make it a -330 base? And what is the reason for the SEA base? Is it for maintenance reasons etc?

 

[HAL]

A Maui pilot base and closing the SEA base are frequent rumors. The truth is that probably nobody - including management - knows for sure what will happen, because that's just too far into the future.

The SEA base was one of three on the west coast before the '03 bankruptcy. In the DC-10/L1011 days pilots were based there because they could fly turns from those bases (3-man crew), be home every night, and save the company a lot of money on hotels. Because of the bankruptcy's need to save money, and the 767's 2-man crew, the need for all three bases was diminished. There was still a need however for reserve coverage on the west coast, so LAX and SFO were closed, but SEA remained open. If a pilot flew to the west coast from HNL and because of delays would go over the 32/7 rule going home, the company needed a reserve to fly the return leg. If there weren't any reserves on the west coast, it could take a whole day to get someone there from Hawaii. I think the main reason for keeping a base open on the west coast was the reserve coverage issue. SEA was chosen because trying to do a 2-day trip from Hawaii would be harder there than other cities with the longer flight times from Hawaii. The schedules would be very hard to keep up without delaying the morning outbound flight. Also, the simulator for the 767 (and later the 717) was in SEA, and a lot of check airman lived there. Having the check airman do their work in-base saved the company money too. And finally it was close to PAE, where a lot of the 767 maintenance was done. All together, it made sense for HA to have a base in SEA.

There is a need for a 330 base, for the same reserve coverage reasons as the 767, but it would probably be in a bigger 330 destination, like LAX or LAS. SEA will probably remain open as a 767 base until either the 767 fleet gets too small for it to make sense, or the passenger loads out of SEA get so big that a 330 is needed.

A Maui 767 base might make some sense, but there is the issue of staffing numbers, since any pilot base has to have a certain number of reserves available according to the contract. If having those additional pilot reserves (more pilots on the seniority list) in the base costs the company more than shipping pilots back and forth on a 717 does, they won't open a base there.

HAL

 

[xjhawk]

Even living in Minneapolis and that being the city where my kids are living I still want to work for Hawaiian-I miss living in Hawaii! I wonder how commutable it is-even if I was to accept only seeing my kids 8-10 days a month-as it is no matter where I go when everyone starts hiring I will only see them 10 days max anyways..... When the window opens, I will apply. Great Info HAL

 

[BentOver]

Does anyone know if Hawaiian does "preliminary" background checks before offering the Phase III? ( I assume they do some form of checks before the final interview?)

I have been offered Phase III, but about a week prior to the offer I started to receive spam e-mails from the same back ground check company...... Usually my spam is always those "someone is looking for you and she's 32 from someplace...."

But for the first time ever I started receiving these background check spam e-mails... Seems pretty coincidental since Hawaiian is the only place that would possibly do a background check AND I get offered the final Phase in the same week...

I know 100% my record is clean except for maybe a speeding ticket 7 years ago, but I mentioned all this to my wife last week and I said "Gee I wonder if Hawaiian is doing some background research?" I just gotta prove to her how smart I am!!!!:beer: