HONOLULU, May 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hawaiian
Airlines, Inc. has asked U.S. Department of Transportation
Secretary Anthony Foxx to
immediately approve its application to provide split service
between Honolulu, Kona and Haneda
Airport in Tokyo.
In a motion filed yesterday afternoon, Hawaiian pointed out that
it was the only applicant for the single available night-time
frequency to serve Haneda Airport that will be available to U.S.
airlines when a February 2016
agreement between the U.S. Government and Japan takes effect later this year.
The Honolulu/Kona service would
be the second Haneda route operated by Hawai'i's flagship airline,
joining the successful Honolulu-Haneda daily service Hawaiian
inaugurated in November 2010. The airline has also sought
confirmation that it will continue to operate its existing service
during the daytime hours under the latest agreement.
"It is long-standing DOT practice to grant an airline a route
when no other airlines are competing for the same limited
opportunity," noted Mark Dunkerley,
president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines. "When you couple the
lack of other applicants with our demonstrated knowledge of the
Japanese market, it is clear that granting Hawaiian the right to
operate this lone night-time slot from Haneda to Kona and
Honolulu is in the best interest
of the United States and the
traveling public."
In its motion, Hawaiian pledged to initiate service to
Honolulu four times a week on or
about Oct. 30, 2016 – the first day
the amendment takes effect. Service from Haneda to Kona three
times a week would commence on or about Oct.
30, 2016 but at least 90 days following the DOT's grant of
the authority.
Gov. David Ige has been joined by
Hawai'i's congressional delegation and Hawai'i Island Mayor
Billy Kenoi in supporting service
between Tokyo and
Kona. Information on how to support Hawaiian's application can
be found at action.hawaiianair.com.
About Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian® has led all U.S.
carriers in on-time performance for each of the past 12 years
(2004-2015) as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Consumer surveys by Condé Nast Traveler, Travel +
Leisure and Zagat have all ranked Hawaiian the highest
of all domestic airlines serving Hawai'i.
Now in its 87th year of continuous service, Hawaiian is
Hawai'i's biggest and longest-serving airline, as well as the
largest provider of passenger air service from its primary visitor
markets on the U.S. Mainland. Hawaiian offers non-stop service to
Hawai'i from more U.S. gateway cities (11) than any other airline,
along with service from Japan,
South Korea, China, Australia, New
Zealand, American Samoa and
Tahiti. Hawaiian also provides approximately 160 jet flights daily
between the Hawaiian Islands, with a total of more than 200 daily
flights system-wide.
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings,
Inc. (NASDAQ: HA). Additional information is available at
HawaiianAirlines.com. Follow updates on Twitter about Hawaiian
(@HawaiianAir) and its special fare offers (@HawaiianFares), and
become a fan on its Facebook page (Hawaiian Airlines).
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SOURCE Hawaiian Airlines