Neosporin

Talking with a mechanic while in the 717, he referenced parts, which is a thing. So there are parts now in planes that happen to be parked in the desert and Hawaiian has access to those planes to utilize for parts. So he said...
So take that for what it is.

When and if Alaska takes over, who knows.....that could be three to five years and it's gone.

"By the end of the decade", is a common statement also.

Poopchute701

Hawaiian did buy three 717s that were registered with Big Daddy D a year or two ago. Those must be the planes that are being used as parts.

Disappointment

Slides on the share holder aquisition presentation indicated that the 737 will be used inter-island once the dust settles

vaxedtothemax

Prediction:

Most widebodies end up in SEA, a few possibly stay in HNL for the international. However, those could be SEA based and still easily do international as part of a 4 or 5 day pairing. The days of one leg to Japan and sit for 2-3 days will come to an end.

321's will be transitioned to 737's. Most W.Coast to HI will be from a West Coast base, or as part of a pairing very similar to SWA. They will do some interisland like SWA. Maui flying will be reduced. Unless anyone sees the Lahaina rebuild going smoothly? Bueller, Bueller......

HNL will become a predominantly 717 base until that fleet is phased out. Then it may retain some 737 interisland, suplemented by W.Coast pairings. There will not be a completely dedicated Interisland aircraft or pilot group per se.

HNL base will shrink. After whatever a/c fences are phased out, things will become much more integrated, and local FA's will have to intermingle with the plastic Walmart Lei folks... It'll be horrific.


The good news:

HA lost $138 million this quarter. The losses have increased.------------------>. But we're right on track. 10 787's and a 8 more freighters will cover it. That bridge in PHX just went up for sale I've heard.

Those who have been around aviation for a while hopefully see what is going on at HA. Goes from all is well, blame everything on someone or something else, then comes a crap vacancy,(again all is well), then comes whatever email the poolies just received. Some of us see it, others don't want to believe it.

FyrePilot

but what about the freighters ????

My predictions on the pax side were about the same as yours.

Having left and looking from the outside in now I really feel bad because just about everyone I worked with was really awesome.

I do not see what Alaska sees in their acquisition. Paying 2 billion for an operation that is losing a million and a half a day with no plan to fix the losses. Anyone can see US leisure travel is going to decrease as everyone runs out money. No money coming from Japan anytime soon either. Why not let it go bankrupt and take over the 330/787 planes/leases and certificates they need from the bankruptcy court to jumpstart an international operation along with some employees that know what to do?

Someone will snag up those 321s quickly and DL will buy the 717s for parts. Alaska or someone else could probably even get some sort of EAS bailout to fly interisland in competition with WN so there is not a monopoly on interisland travel. It would be horrible for the employees at HA, but it makes way more business sense.

I heard 330 and 717 sims are broken in HNL as well so training costs must be even higher and maybe why not hiring from the pool any longer. Getting too expensive to train new hires- 3 days for CQ is a lot cheaper than 6-8 weeks for initial at 90 hours a month in a hotel.

PineappleXpres

Publicly stating maintains HNL as a second largest base doesn’t constitute slashing it by 80% overnight. Live for today, tomorrow, not ten years from now.

TransWorld

If parts are used off them, are there other new parts that can be purchases or made? I would think so.

3wickets

I had my heart set on Hawaiian last year when i got the CJO. But since the Alaskan aquisition, the risk is too high. I have no interest in being a lifer on the 737, I can see Alaskan gettig rid of the 330s. Ive interviewed at all 4 legacies now. Ive come across twice now a HAL pilot thats wanting to jump ship to a mainland legacy. So im about to start shortly at another legacy. I wish my HAL brothers the best of luck!

SD3FR8DOG

Good luck. It's a funny industry; would be ironic if the Alaska combination resulted in growth and more 787s whilst you stagnate at one of those legacies. The same legacies that have been binge hiring 20 somethings in their thousands.

FyrePilot

That would be ironic- but not likely. Alaska has zero 787s on order. IF and thats IF the merger goes through they will have 10.....in a few years, maybe up to 18. I don't see how AS stays in the alliance with AA with the merger- 3 of 6 carriers flying mainland to HI would be in same alliance.

UA has like 50-100 in addtion to what they already have. DL has 40 more A350s coming and will probably need more 330s or 350s when the 767-400s are slated to be replaced in 2030. AA is deffering their deliveries of 787s- so maybe alaska is better than going to AA.

AS does not have the market cap to justify the long haul international order yet. SEA and SFO are already slammed with widebodies from foreign carriers along with DL and UA. Even picking up HAL there wouldn't be too much demand with few Japanese travelling to HI or mainland USA. The Chinese aren't coming on US planes either- and US does not really participate in leisure market in China. Korea is pretty much owned by DL. Maybe SE Asia but you have tons of state sponsored carriers there already. Or Maybe go over the pole to Europe- but AMS and LHR slots are hard to get.

Thats all before you get to the gates issue in SEA- pretty sure they would have to slide into the S Sattelite terminal for international arrivals- which was designed incorrectly and holds like 60% of the capacity it was supposed to.

So how does Alaska grow- only way is to buy other carriers. Which involves combined seniority lists, which will slow down movement to WB, especially with most having young pilot groups.

Fact is the first part of the hiring wave that has been happening for the past 2-3 years will be on the L seat in the WB for 20+ years. Everyone else, no matter where they are at now does not really stand too much of a chance making it to L seat working a few days a month on great international trips until they are almost 65