HONOLULU, Oct. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Hawaiian
Airlines has reached a new milestone today as it celebrates 30
years since launching its non-stop service between Honolulu and Pago
Pago, American Samoa. The
airline is the only major carrier to serve American Samoa.
The departure of Flight HA 465 was preceded by festivities at
the boarding gate at Honolulu
International Airport (HNL) that included live Hawaiian music and
presentation of kukui nut lei to more than 200 guests boarding the
flight. A Samoan speaking crew serviced the flight, including
employees who have worked on Hawaiian Airlines' Pago Pago route since its launch.
"We have proudly served American
Samoa for three decades, reuniting friends and families, and
catering to the travel needs of Pago
Pago's community," said Mark
Dunkerley, Hawaiian Airlines president and chief executive
officer. "The consistent and reliable service we have provided over
the years demonstrates our strong commitment to American Samoa, and we look forward to
continuing to serve this very special region of the South Pacific
that has strong cultural ties to our Hawaiian Islands."
Hawaiian Airlines launched regularly scheduled non-stop service
between Honolulu and Pago Pago in October
1984, operating on a DC-8 aircraft, after other airlines
entered and left the market. The airline flies twice weekly between
Pago Pago and Honolulu on Mondays and Fridays operating on a
Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, contributing nearly 55,000 seats to both
Pago Pago and Honolulu travel markets each year. A third
weekly flight is added seasonally during summer and winter.
Hawaiian Airlines is also giving back to the American Samoa community in celebration of its
Pago Pago route's 30th
anniversary. This month, more than 500 articles of clothing and
household items were collected by company employees and donated to
the thrift shop at Hope House, a convalescent home in American Samoa that caters to elderly and
disabled patients. Additionally, a group of more than 40 employees
from the airline's Team Kōkua volunteer brigade will also be
providing carpentry repairs to the convalescent home on
Saturday, Nov. 1.
The 30th anniversary of Hawaiian Airlines'
Pago Pago route coincides with a
series of celebrations leading up to the airline's 85th
anniversary on Nov. 11, 2014. In
September, Hawaiian Airlines unveiled a memorial wall at Kahului
Airport honoring Capt. James Bertram
Hogg, the pilot whose name was used for the airport's
three-letter code (OGG). The event kicked off a three-month-long
celebration and continued with an all-day community event in early
October at at the 'Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii in Hilo, the airline's first destination.
Throughout the month of November, Hawaiian Airlines Team Kōkua will
be participating in statewide community service projects on the
islands of Hawai'i, Maui, O'ahu
and Kaua'i, restoring agricultural
and historical sites.
For more information about Hawaiian Airlines' Pago Pago service or 85th
anniversary, visit www.HawaiianAirlines.com.
About Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian® has led all U.S. carriers in on-time
performance for each of the past 10 years (2004-2013) 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 85th 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.
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SOURCE Hawaiian Airlines