Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES
Aloha Airlines plans to start services to the US West Coast next February, marking the first time in the airline's 53-year history that it has ventured away from its Hawaii-based Pacific inter-island network.
The new services will include two daily round-trip flights between Hawaii and Oakland, California, one from Honolulu and the other from Maui. Aloha has acquired two new, long-range Boeing 737-700s for the services, leased from Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services from November.
Financing for the lease and support for the services come from BancWest, parent of Hawaii-based First Hawaiian Bank and California-based Bank of the West.
Aloha, which recently began services to the Marshall Islands as part of a wider Pacific expansion, says that Oakland - south of San Francisco - was selected because it is "a growth area that is not being served by direct flights to Hawaii".
The key to the venture's launch appears to be the availability of the 737-700. "Its range, size and operational efficiency enables Aloha to operate West Coast services for a relatively low cost," says the airline.
Aloha is also studying other "secondary niche markets" that could be served with the 737-700, but says that "for now, our focus is on making the Oakland operation a steady and long-term success".
Aloha, which operates 737-200s, flew more than 5 million passengers within Hawaii last year and controlled about 60% of the inter-island market, largely in competition with Hawaiian Airlines.
Source: Flight International
