Editor's note: This article is part of a series of end-of-year roundups that Spectrum News Hawaii will publish during the month of December. We hope you enjoy these reflections on local news in 2024.
Throughout the year, Spectrum News Hawaii has been covering all the news surrounding the Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines merger, as well as other happenings at the two airlines. Here is a look back at some of the biggest stories.
1. Hawaiian Airlines receives first Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Hawaiian Airlines announced on Feb. 23 it received its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which came from North Charleston, South Carolina.
"This day has been a long time coming — in fact, today marks almost six years to the date when we first announced our investment in the 787-9 as the new flagship fleet for our company," said Peter Ingram, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, in a news release.
The 300-seat aircraft features 34 suites with lie-flat seating, an 18-inch in-flight entertainment screen, personal power outlets, wireless cellphone charging and direct aisle access. The suites have doors for privacy and can be combined into double suites for couples.
The other 266 seats were designed with Adient Aerospace and are light-weight, featuring contoured back and armrests and increased shoulder and hip room. They also feature a 12-inch seatback monitor with USB-A and USB-C charging ports.
Hawaiian Airlines worked with design consultant Teague to incorporate elements that honor the Polynesian navigators who sailed the Pacific. Other Hawaii elements include wall panels depicting native wood grains and a lavatory floor that is inspired by black volcanic sand. Hawaiian language is integrated into seat row numbers and other placards.
2. Alaska Airlines brings back hot meals
In May, Alaska Airlines announced the return of hot meals to its inflight menu.
The hot meals are available through the airline’s pre-order menu for most flights over 1,100 miles. The pre-order menu offers five dishes, including at least one hot meal.
Chef Tony Wright from London worked with Alaska Airlines to create the new meals.
“The creative process of selecting meals that made the most sense for the West Coast-based airline and then sourcing the freshest ingredients was a labor of love for all of us who were involved in developing this menu," said Wright.
The pre-order items range in price from $8 to $11.50, and are available through the Alaska mobile app or through alaskaair.com from two weeks to 20 hours prior to a flight.
3. Alaska Airlines to give free round-trip flights to wildfire survivors
More than 3,000 Maui residents impacted by last year’s wildfires are being gifted round-trip Alaska Airlines flights via the new Maui CARE Flights program, Gov. Josh Green announced in May.
To launch the program, Alaska Airlines sponsored a special charter flight for eligible families to visit Disneyland from July 11 to 14. Hotel stays for the Disneyland trip were provided by Marriott International and Disneyland Resort is also providing assistance.
Following the special charter flight, Alaska Airlines will donate up to 180 round-trip tickets (equivalent to one airplane load) per month from August 2024 through December 2025. Eligible Maui residents may use their tickets for any destination on Alaska Airlines’ network.
The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement will manage the intake process. Interested individuals and families can fill out an application form online at helpingmaui.org or in person at CNHA’s Kakoo Maui Resource Center.
Applicants will need to provide their FEMA assistance number and pre-wildfire address. Those who do not have a FEMA assistance number can verify eligibility through other methods.
4. Hawaiian and Alaska Air merger clears USDOT review, allowing them to close their merger deal
On Sept. 17, the U.S. Department of Transportation approved Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines' request to operate under common ownership, which will allow them to close their merger deal.
Per the USDOT’s order, the airlines must preserve the value of rewards miles, key Hawaiian routes, rural service, competitive access at the Honolulu airport, fee-free family seating, compensation for controllable disruptions, and lower costs for military families.
“Our top priority is protecting the traveling public’s interest in this merger. We have secured binding protections that maintain critical flight services for communities, ensure smaller airlines can access the Honolulu hub airport, lower costs for families and service members, and preserve the value of rewards miles against devaluation,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement. “This more proactive approach to merger review marks a new chapter of DOT’s work to stand up for passengers and promote a fairer aviation sector in America.”
Alaska announced on Dec. 2, 2023, it was hoping to buy Hawaiian in a $1.9 billion deal, while taking on $900 million of Hawaiian’s debt. They said the merged company would continue to operate both airlines with independent brands while combining their operating platform.
5. Alaska Airlines announces new leadership team after merger deal approved
Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines, announced on Sept. 17 a new Honolulu leadership team would take over at the helm of Hawaiian Airlines, following the U.S. Department of Transportation’s approval of the merger with Hawaiian Airlines earlier in the day.
The interim Honolulu leadership team will guide Hawaiian Airlines operations as the two airlines merge and create a combined airline with a single operating certificate. After the merger, the airlines will continue to operate under two separate brands, according to a release.
Alaska is still working to get a single operating certification from the Federal Aviation Administration before the merger will be completed. Until then, Alaska and Hawaiian will operate as one organization with two separate airline operations and two operating certificates.
Alaska has named Joe Sprague, who is currently the Alaska Airlines regional president of Hawaii/Pacific, the new CEO of Hawaiian Airlines. He will lead all aspects of Hawaiian Airlines’ operations until the FAA grants Alaska a single operating certificate.
Along with Sprague, several senior executives from Hawaiian Airlines will complete the interim Honolulu leadership team.
Also, the current regional VP of Hawaii for Alaska Airlines, Daniel Chun, will be part of the Honolulu leadership team, overseeing community and cultural relations, government affairs and Hawaii sales.
6. Hawaiian Airlines now offering free Wi-Fi on Airbus fleet
Hawaiian Airlines announced on Sept. 19 that all of its Airbus flights from the Hawaiian Islands to the continental U.S., Asia and Oceania will provide Starlink Wi-Fi free of charge for passengers.
In February, Hawaiian hooked up its first Airbus A321neo flight from Hawaii to the continental U.S. with Starlink Wi-Fi.
Now, the airline has completed Starlink installation across its 24 A330 fleet, according to a release.
“Becoming the first major airline to offer travelers Starlink at no cost is a remarkable achievement for our team, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the overwhelmingly positive response from guests who have been enjoying our industry-leading connectivity onboard,” said Evan Nomura, director of inflight entertainment, connectivity and onboard products at Hawaiian Airlines, in a statement.
Hawaiian also plans to install Starlink on its newest aircraft, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
7. Alaska Airlines signs UH athletes to NIL deals
In November, Alaska Airlines entered into endorsement partnerships with six University of Hawaii student-athletes.
The airlines, which recently finalized its merger with Hawaiian Airlines, said its new name-image-likeness deals with Brayden Schager and Jonah Panoke (football), Kate Lang and Tayli Ikenaga (women’s volleyball), Tread Rosenthal (men’s volleyball) and Lily Wahinekapu (women’s basketball) as part of both airlines’ continued support of UH athletics.
“We are all very excited and grateful to partner with Alaska Airlines and to be part of their growing presence in Hawaii,” Lang said. “Both Alaska and Hawaiian have established strong reputations of giving back and supporting many community initiatives in Hawaii, and it’s an honor to be able to represent the combined organization during this historic time.”
The NCAA’s three-year-old NIL policy allows individual collegiate athletes to control and profit from their prominence and popularity.
The athletes will serve as brand ambassadors to share their travel experiences on Alaska Airlines and help promote Alaska/Hawaiian’s community initiatives in Hawaii.
Hawaiian Airlines previously entered NIL partnerships with 30 UH athletes.
8. Hawaiian announces new discounts for Hawaii residents
In November, Hawaiian Airlines announced a new, free program for Hawaii residents that offers a free checked bag, 10- or 20% off one neighbor island booking per quarter, and other deals.
The program, known as Huakaʻi by Hawaiian, was launched following the official merger of Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines in September. While the brands will remain separate, other changes are expected, including the ability to transfer miles between the airlines without charge.
In order to become a Huaka‘i member online, Hawaii residents need to have a HawaiianMiles account with a Hawaii mailing address.
Hawaiian will email Huaka‘i members their first quarterly neighbor island discount code (10% for all members and 20% for Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard members) on Dec. 18 for travel starting Jan. 8. On March 1, 2025, Hawaiian will email discount codes for one-way or roundtrip tickets in coach and first class on the first day of the month prior to the start of a new quarter.
Starting on Jan. 8, the free checked bag (including surfboards, a golf bag and other sports equipment) will be available on neighbor island flights. Guests using a Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard to book travel will still be given two free checked bags.
9. New shared chapter for Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines at SFO
In December, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines started sharing space at San Francisco International Airport’s Harvey Milk Terminal 1, marking a new chapter as the two carriers work together to optimize operations and create a smooth travel experience for guests.
The SFO relocation is the first of six that will include Sacramento, Ontario, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Los Angeles that will be completed by the end of 2025, according to a news release. The airlines’ systems will remain separate until a single passenger service system is put into place in 2026.
The second largest carrier at SFO and the largest domestic carrier at Harvey Milk Terminal 1, Alaska Airlines consolidated its operations this summer to provide an improved guest experience that includes advanced lobby technology and access to more gates.
Hawaiian has flown to the Bay Area since 1986, offering daily flights between SFO and Honolulu and Kahului on Maui aboard its Airbus A330 and A321neo aircraft.
Together, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines will operate a total of four daily flights between SFO and Hawaii through December.
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.