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  • Flying Interisland

    I'm starting this topic for the discussion of flying interisland on any of our various airlines. Currently flying Hawaii skies between the islands are:

    Aloha Airlines
    Hawaiian Airlines
    Island Air
    Pacific Wings

    There are several other smaller carriers with service to various islands by charter or a limited schedule. Other airlines such as Trans Air are freight only operations. And of course we have the big domestic and foreign airlines that fly directly to and from the mainland to several neighbor island airports.

    Then there are the fares. In my just completed trip I spent $79 on each flight from Honolulu to Hilo and back. And this was on Aloha, booked through their website using my AlohaPass card number. Your costs will vary on when you book, which airline you fly on, and whether or not you belong to their frequent flyer club.

    Just this week I ordered 2 coupon books for $58 each flight on Aloha Airlines. There are 5 coupons in each book. So I guess I am good for 5 neighbor island trips between now and June 2005, when the coupons expire.

    Prices stated here do not include security and other fees now associated with travel.

    As many people know, flight coupons were very popular options to ticketing that island residents enjoyed for over 10 years. In 2003 the coupon books were discontinued by Hawaiian and Aloha Airlines in favor of online booking and ticketing. A lot of people have complained about the lack of flexibility when flying interisland today. Coupon books return that flexibility even for only a short time through Aloha Airlines' current promotion.

    This is the only state in the union where we cannot simply drive our cars from one county to another. So far, despite the upcoming arrival of a ferry system in 2006, the airlines are the only way to get off one island to go to another.

    Tell us about your interisland travels, reservations and ticketing experiences, stories of lost luggage (if any), missed flights, smooth and/or bumpy plane rides, etc.
    Last edited by mel; August 20, 2004, 10:48 AM. Reason: added URLs
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  • #2
    Re: Flying Interisland

    Having to stand in the general boarding line gave me the incentive to buy into Aloha's Executive Plus program. They have since upgraded that program but now you cannot buy into it you must be a major frequent flyer to qualify for it.

    Hawaiian Airlines offer a similar program that allows you to pre-board and allows you to buy into it. I switched.

    As for the superferry, I just wished it could've come into Hilo Harbor because making that 120-mile drive to Kona to get on that ferry and back doesn't make for a pleasant weekend drive to Oahu. You'll spend about 13-hours in transit total from Hilo to Oahu. In 13-hours I could've flown to Oahu from Hilo, bought everything I needed at Ala Moana, packed and shipped UPS and flown back to Hilo and still have time to go to KTA for some light grocery shopping.

    My feeling is that we're making a big mistake not docking in Hilo.
    Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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    • #3
      Re: Flying Interisland

      When I fly its always on the cheap. I don't belong to any Executive Club pass thing, or whatever with either airline. I don't mind standing in line and waiting like all the other grunts for the cattle call to shuttle us out of the airport into the airplane. Just did it again this week on my flight back to Honolulu.

      One thing that I noticed that was different is that at Hilo Airport, they now let you wait in line on the top level near the gate of your flight instead of down below in the main lobby like before. I think this is good, because at least we can see the outside of the airport and planes taking off and landing there (though at Hilo there isn't too much air traffic except for tour helicopters coming and going).....

      Flight pictures to Honolulu:

      Aloha Air 737 to HNL
      Goodbye Hilo
      Aerial view of Mauna Kea
      Arrived in Honolulu
      Last edited by mel; August 21, 2004, 12:53 PM. Reason: added links
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      • #4
        Re: Flying Interisland

        The smaller neighbor islands are getting shafted again. We're coming to Maui next week and taking a side trip to Molokai, where my father was raised on a farm. Since Hawaiian and Aloha no longer have flights to Hoolehua, we are having to fly on Island Air, which is no longer a subsidiary of Aloha.

        It's costing us $378 for 2 people to fly from OGG to MKK. How are local people on Molokai supposed to afford that kind of plane fare? You can take the Molokai Princess, but that's a pretty long boat ride--tides and current permitting--and if you have business in anyplace other than Lahaina, you'd better have ohana or a rental car to get around because public transportation on Maui sucks.

        Miulang
        "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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        • #5
          Re: Flying Interisland

          The reasons why Hawaiian Air pulled out of Molokai/Lanai is that there was not enough demand for those flights requiring the larger jet and the fact that the longest runway at Molokai is only 4,494 ft., barely enough for the jet to take off and land on. Island Air's planes are smaller and ideally suited for short runways.
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          • #6
            Re: Flying Interisland

            Originally posted by mel
            The reasons why Hawaiian Air pulled out of Molokai/Lanai is that there was not enough demand for those flights requiring the larger jet and the fact that the longest runway at Molokai is only 4,494 ft., barely enough for the jet to take off and land on. Island Air's planes are smaller and ideally suited for short runways.

            Man you haven't lived until you land in Molokai on a Hawaiian Airlines jet. It's kinda like...like a carrier landing! As you fly in you see that manini runway and you ask yourself, "We going land on that bandaid?" To land on that runway you cannot eat up the runway by feathering your landing. Once your gears are over the runway you drop the sucker and boy those Hawaiian Airline pilots do, then they hit the reverse thrusters and slam the brakes and if you're not belted in good, you'll be kissing that upright tray in front of you.

            Then you realize you still have too much forward momentum as you turn off the active runway onto the taxiway. The plane is turning but your body wants to go forward some more, hang on to your seats! More fun than riding the Bus standing up on Kapiolani Blvd.

            Yeah the Molokai landing by a big jet can be the highlight of your Molokai stay. Oh then there's the take offs!
            Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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            • #7
              Re: Flying Interisland

              Originally posted by craigwatanabe
              Man you haven't lived until you land in Molokai on a Hawaiian Airlines jet. It's kinda like...like a carrier landing! As you fly in you see that manini runway and you ask yourself, "We going land on that bandaid?" To land on that runway you cannot eat up the runway by feathering your landing. Once your gears are over the runway you drop the sucker and boy those Hawaiian Airline pilots do, then they hit the reverse thrusters and slam the brakes and if you're not belted in good, you'll be kissing that upright tray in front of you.

              Then you realize you still have too much forward momentum as you turn off the active runway onto the taxiway. The plane is turning but your body wants to go forward some more, hang on to your seats! More fun than riding the Bus standing up on Kapiolani Blvd.

              Yeah the Molokai landing by a big jet can be the highlight of your Molokai stay. Oh then there's the take offs!
              You don't know what that feels like unless you've landed or taken off from the San Diego Airport! You go straight down and land in between the marina and the buildings on the mainland on a very short runway. Taking off is also fun. Pittsburgh used to be the same way...if the plane missed the edge of the runway, you would have creamed right into the side of the hill that the runway was on.

              My only issue is the high cost of having Island Air provide the only scheduled service between OGG and MKK. How do the folks on Molokai afford that on a regular basis? I guess they don't because that's why the majors pulled out?


              Miulang
              "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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              • #8
                Re: Flying Interisland

                Originally posted by Miulang
                My only issue is the high cost of having Island Air provide the only scheduled service between OGG and MKK. How do the folks on Molokai afford that on a regular basis? I guess they don't because that's why the majors pulled out?
                According to Island Air's website, they are currently offering special fares of $78.50 to a number of destinations including Molokai and Lanai. The catch is you must buy your ticket on the internet and probably book several days or weeks in advance.

                If this is so, then it is like the other 2 major air carriers, Hawaiian and Aloha who also have some internet fare specials. My trip to the Big Island on Aloha cost $79 each way + those security fees. If I booked through Hawaiian, their "special" fare was $94. Both with the frequent flyer card.

                Of course now, Aloha is offering coupon books for $58 each coupon in packs of 5. That offer expires August 31.

                For travellers having to go off island like today or tomorrow with no prior arrangements usually have to pay the full fare of about $115 each way... for interisland. Ouch!

                So for the time being anyone who bought a coupon book(s) through Aloha's current promotion will be in fairly good shape until June 2005.
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                • #9
                  Re: Flying Interisland

                  Originally posted by craigwatanabe
                  Man you haven't lived until you land in Molokai on a Hawaiian Airlines jet. It's kinda like...like a carrier landing
                  Many years ago Hawaiian Airlines used to fly their DC-9 jets into Waimea/Kamuela (MUE) airport on the Big Island. I loved the convenience that offered me since Waimea is only 20 minutes away by car from Honokaa. Anyway, I used to regularly fly into MUE from HNL when I was in college and also in my younger years... of course way back in the 1960s, Hawaiian only flew their propeller planes like the DC-6 and Convair 340 / 640 into that airport... however it was cool when the DC-9 jet service was implemented.

                  A landing at Kamuela's 5,190 ft. long runway is similar to that of Molokai. The moment the DC-9's wheels hit the ground, the pilot would throw the entire plane into reverse thrust, flaps fully in the downward position as we raced down the runway. Of course I usually like to sit in the window seat, and I know when we are running out of runway space is when the big white lines at the end show up and the plane is just about ready to stop... oh yeah, and the whole aircraft like vibrates big time when the reverse thrusters are on.... noisy and cool in a weird sort of way.

                  Kamuela has no taxiway, which means the plane has to do a sharp U-turn after the landing to meander its way back to the terminal.
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                  • #10
                    Re: Flying Interisland

                    Originally posted by mel
                    According to Island Air's website, they are currently offering special fares of $78.50 to a number of destinations including Molokai and Lanai. The catch is you must buy your ticket on the internet and probably book several days or weeks in advance.
                    The whole point is I did make reservations via the Internet last week and I did qualify for the $78.50 fare. The problem is that fare is one way so for 2 people (when you count in airport taxes and whatever else they want to collect from you), the total came out to $348! How long would the aunties and uncles have to save in order to go visit ohana on the other islands?

                    For a long time, the major interisland carriers used to use the Mainland routes to subsidize the lower fares for the locals and between-island travel for tourists. Now, for some reason, they no longer offer "island hopper" fares to the tourists and certainly aren't doing local people any favors with the fares they are getting away with charging.

                    That $348 for 2 round trip tickets to Molokai is about what one SEA-OGG round trip ticket is costing us this trip. A 5-1/2 hour flight v. a 20-minute one for about the same amount of money. Gee...I can see the value of going holoholo to see the ohana! No wonder locals would rather go to Las Vegas than hop on a plane to Hilo to go see popo! Good thing you can still buy those coupon books!

                    Miulang
                    "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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                    • #11
                      Re: Flying Interisland

                      Originally posted by Miulang
                      The whole point is I did make reservations via the Internet last week and I did qualify for the $78.50 fare. The problem is that fare is one way so for 2 people (when you count in airport taxes and whatever else they want to collect from you), the total came out to $348!

                      That is the current cheapest fare. I too am just as vexed as you about the high fares interisland carriers are now charging to fly between islands. However with the cost of fuel and impact of direct flights to the neighbor islands not only by our 2 local major carriers, but most of the major ones too (American, United, etc.), I cannot see how the cost of flying can return to lower price points if there are not that many people flying interisland.

                      I hate the high cost of flying interisland even with today's discount fares. Because of that I have had to adjust and fly between here and the Big Island less than I did only a few years ago.

                      As individuals we all understand the power of our own buying dollar and we make adjustments accordingly. Unfortunately we are not like the government where we can turn to the taxpayers when our funds are short and ask for more money. No we have to earn it all and then prioritize our spending.
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                      • #12
                        Re: Flying Interisland

                        Just adding my perspective on this. Nearly 3 years ago AQ/HA considered
                        merging.At the time I thought it was a bad idea for a number of reasons.
                        But as the years go by I wonder sometimes what could've been if HA/AQ merged.
                        Check out my blog on Kona issues :
                        The Kona Blog

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                        • #13
                          Re: Flying Interisland

                          Looks like another new player is entering the interisland passenger market. Freight carrier TransAir is starting a charter airline called "Inter Island Airways" that will fly group charters between the islands.

                          According to this short Star-Bulletin article, Trans Air has acquired a new 30 passenger prop airplane and has already started service. From the article:

                          Hawaii air-cargo carrier TransAir has begun operating a chartered inter-island passenger service that it plans to grow into a full-fledged airline.

                          TransAir founder and President Teimour Riahi said the company received federal approval earlier this month to begin carrying passengers aboard a 30-seat Bombardier propeller craft recently delivered to TransAir.
                          I went to the Bombardier website and found out this is the company that makes LearJets. They also seem to have been the firm that bought out DeHavilland of Canada. So they make the 30 seat prop plane known as the Q100 and it turns out to be none other than the Dash 8 which is the same plane flown by Island Air.

                          Kind of interesting. I don't know if Hawaii can support this many 2nd tier prop airlines. However if the price is right and they like fly to Waimea-Kamuela on the Big Island, I'd give them a try.

                          Of course that is after I use up all of my Aloha Airlines coupons.
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                          • #14
                            Re: Flying Interisland

                            Aloha is offering those $58 one way fare coupon books again right? That should be the cheapest fare floating around now.
                            Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Flying Interisland

                              Originally posted by mel
                              Looks like another new player is entering the interisland passenger market. Freight carrier TransAir is starting a charter airline called "Inter Island Airways" that will fly group charters between the islands.

                              According to this short Star-Bulletin article, Trans Air has acquired a new 30 passenger prop airplane and has already started service. From the article:



                              I went to the Bombardier website and found out this is the company that makes LearJets. They also seem to have been the firm that bought out DeHavilland of Canada. So they make the 30 seat prop plane known as the Q100 and it turns out to be none other than the Dash 8 which is the same plane flown by Island Air.
                              When I was a little kid, I used to fly interisland with my parents in Convairs, which were propeller-driven. Now it looks like we're coming full circle. If it means cheaper interisland fares, I'm all for them! But why only charters? That will only benefit the touristas on package vacations. And if it's a freight aircarrier, does that mean that the passengers will be herded aboard the planes like cargo a la Southwest Airlines?

                              Remember what I said in another thread about history repeating itself?

                              As an aside, Bombardier also makes monorail systems. They were in the bidding for the monorail system up here in Seattle, but pulled out because they didn't like some of the stipulations that were put on the bid.

                              Miulang
                              Last edited by Miulang; August 27, 2004, 10:50 AM.
                              "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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