Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines’ new In-Flight Safety Video

Hawaiian Airlines has a new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and a new in-flight safety video that’s 7 minutes long.

The new video is filled with important safety information, of course.

But Hawaiian Airlines’ new safety video also features scenes from all four major Hawaiian islands – Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island and Kauaʻi.

The new video also features 57 new and original cast members, including teenagers or adults who were keiki (children) in the airline’s 2015 safety video.

Take a look.

What? Alaska Airlines to merge with Hawaiian Airlines

On Sunday, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines announced a plan to merge in a deal that has line Alaska Airlines buying Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion.

“This combination is an exciting next step in our collective journey to provide a better travel experience for our guests and expand options for West Coast and Hawai‘i travelers,” said Ben Minicucci, Alaska Airlines CEO in a statement.

Peter Ingram, Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO said, “Since 1929, Hawaiian Airlines has been an integral part of life in Hawai‘i, and together with Alaska Airlines we will be able to deliver more for our guests, employees, and the communities that we serve.”

What does this mean for travelers?

While many details are still unknown, and some are likely to change before the deal officially goes through (a 12 to 18-month process) here are some of the highlights of this weekend’s announcement, from a message sent to customers on Sunday evening by Alaska’s Ben Minicucci:

The brands will remain: The Virgin America name was retired after it was purchased by Alaska Airlines. But Alaska Airlines says it plans to keep the Hawaiian Airlines brand on airplanes, at airports, and elsewhere. “It will exist alongside the Alaska Airlines brand, supported by a single operating platform and industry-leading loyalty program,” Minicucci said in his statement.

There will be more destinations: The deal will bring a combined network of 138 destinations, including non-stop service to 29 international destinations such as Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney, and Auckland, as well as over 1,200 global destinations through the oneworld Alliance, Alaska notes in its statement. The combined airline will have a fleet of 365 narrow- and wide-body airplanes, according to Alaska.

Headquarters to remain in Seattle: The new combined organization will be based in Seattle and headed by Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci, but Honolulu will become a new key hub.

What about ticket prices? There is where this deal could have a downside. “Competition between airlines is the single biggest cause of cheap flights,” notes Going’s Scott Keyes, “A merger between these two airlines—whose route maps have dozens of flights that overlap—would result not in more cheap flights for consumers, but fewer.”

How do the flight attendants feel about this?

On Sunday, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO (AFA), which represents over 6,800 Flight Attendants at Alaska Airlines and 2,200 Flight Attendants at Hawaiian Airlines, released a statement:

“Our first priority is to determine whether this merger will improve conditions for Flight Attendants just like the benefits the companies have described for shareholders and consumers. Our support of the merger will depend on this.

“As a practical matter, our union Constitution and Bylaws provides a detailed process for this review with AFA leadership from each airline. Mergers take time – this will not happen overnight. Our union will continue to press forward in negotiations at Alaska Airlines. Alaska Flight Attendants, joined by Hawaiian Flight Attendants, will be on the picket line on Dec. 19 as holiday travel takes off.”

Two Things for Travelers

Hawaiian Airlines hosts a ‘window activation’ in Austin

Hawaiian Airlines operates thrice-weekly flights between Austin and Honolulu and to promote the service the airline is hosting a contest with a grand prize of enough HawaiianMiles to fly First Class roundtrip between Austin and Honolulu. Plus a five-night stay at The Prince Waikiki Hotel.

The contest runs September 30 and October 1. To participate, entrants must visit Austin outdoor shopping center The Domain, peer into a series of virtual airplane windows that will give the illusion of landing in Honolulu, and then complete a scavenger hunt to find other airplane windows.

One grand prize winner of The Window Seat activation will win the equivalent miles for two First Class roundtrip tickets and a stay at The Prince Waikiki Hotel. Other prizes include fresh flower lei, Hawaiian Airlines travel swag, and 120,000 HawaiianMiles. And everyone giving the scavenger hunt a try will be offered complimentary shave ice. See contest details here.

Make an Origami Maple Leaf

Courtesy National Archives

Getting ready for some leaf peeping? Get in the mood with this 39-step maple leaf origami project from the pages of Origami Odyssey, by Peter Engel.

Tuesday Travel Tidbits

Hawaiian Airlines plans to offer free Wi-FI

Hawaiian Airlines has inked a deal with Starlink, the SpaceX satellite network, to provide complimentary high-speed internet onboard flights between the islands and the continental U.S, Asia, and Oceania as early as next year.

The airline plans to equip select Airbus A330 and A321neo aircraft, as well as an incoming fleet of Boeing 787-9s, with Starlink’s satellite internet connectivity service.

“We waited until technology caught up with our high standards for guest experience, but it will be worth the wait,” said Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO Peter Ingram, in a statement.

Free Coloring Books at O’Hare and Midway Airport

If you are passing through Chicago’s O’Hare or Midway Airport anytime soon, be sure to stop by an info desk to ask for one of the free activity and coloring books. The books are available in English and Spanish and can be downloaded as well.

Free stuff and prizes when you explore Indiana

Indiana

The deals team at Stuck at The Airport loves creative travel campaigns, free stuff, and prizes.

And Visit Indiana Week, which runs May 1-7, has it all.

Admission is free to all Indiana State Parks on May 1. That also happens to be the Hoosier State’s free fishing day as well.

Throughout the week, anyone who checks in using the Indiana State Nature Passport becomes eligible for a grand prize that includes a 2022 State Parks Pass, a $50 gift card for camping, and a subscription to Outdoor Indiana magazine.

Indiana also has a Culinary Trails  Passport and throughout May, anyone who checks in on the I Scream for Ice Cream Trail is eligible to win a gift card from one of the trail stops, courtesy of Indiana Foodways Alliance.

The Honolulu airport is getting super sustainable


The Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu is taking major steps forward in sustainability just in time for Earth Day, which is coming up on April 22.

As part of a major energy-savings project for the airport, 2,980 photovoltaic panels are now installed on the 5th floor of the Terminal 2 (formerly the Overseas Terminal) garage.

Last year, 4,260 solar panels were installed on the 7th floor of the airport’s Terminal 1 parking garage.

“The completion of this phase of photovoltaic panel installation, along with the previous improvements, will reduce the airport’s electric bill by nearly half.” said Hawaii Department of Transportation Director Jade Butay.

HDOT is working with Johnson Controls Inc. on a major energy savings project that includes replacing nearly 98,000 light fixtures with high-efficiency light-emitting diode (LED) technology and energy efficient lighting, upgrading ventilation and air-conditioning systems and installing more than 24,000 solar photovoltaic panels.

Given all the sunshine in Hawaii, harnessing solar power at HNL airport makes perfect sense!

Meanwhile, Hawaiian Airlines and Carbon Lighthouse, a clean energy services company, are working together on a pilot energy-saving project at the Hawaiian Airlines Airport Center, located near the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

Hawaiian Airlines bought the 14-story office building — famous for its iconic whale murals — in 2016 and leases some of the space to tenants and occupying about 20,000 square feet for office space.

To make the building more energy efficient, Carbon Lighthouse is deploying sensors throughout Airport Center to collect data on everything from air and water temperature and flow rates in HVAC equipment to lighting and occupancy.  

Using that information, plus weather, utility and other data, Carbon Lighthouse will identify way to reduce waste and optimize the energy use of the building.