MERRIE MONARCH
THE ‘UKULELE
ENHANCED FLIGHT PLANNING
THE HAKU LEI
JUNE 2017
Courtesy is Our Calling Card
Lei Day Celebrations Continue with Learning
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S HAWAI‘I’S FLAGSHIP CARRIER, Hawaiian Airlines takes pride in the tight bonds we have with our host culture. To nurture this connection, we continually provide our ‘ohana with opportunities to learn about the people and customs that make our company and home unique, including our ‘Imi ‘Ike learning series. As an extension of traditional Lei Day festivities, we invited renowned haku lei master and kumu Bill Char, along with a team of skilled lei craftsmen, to share their knowledge and art with our ‘ohana. Employees who gathered at the LunchBox were greeted with the sweet fragrance of beautiful tropical flowers, along with the sweet sound of music performed by the Hawaiian Airlines Serenaders. Under the watchful eye of our lei masters, each student came away with a beautiful lei, along with a deeper appreciation and understanding of the mastery involved in this iconic aspect of our state’s culture. “‘Imi ‘Ike means to search for knowledge, and I am always delighted to see our employees at the end of each session with a feeling of discovery,” noted Debbie Nakanelua-Richards, Director of Community Relations. ■
A Day in the Life / Station General Manager No matter where our guests board a Hawaiian Airlines flight, consistency in delivering our renowned island hospitality is fundamental to providing the very best care that Hawai‘i’s flagship carrier has to offer. The station General Manager is often seen as our company’s ambassador to the airports we serve. But his role is more than just a smiling face.
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NOW STORMS, aircraft delays, budget proposals, vendor questions -- for any and all of the above, Kaleo Titcomb is the man who gets called. Since becoming Portland (PDX) General Manager in 2010, Kaleo has overseen the station and employees who care for the almost 300 guests who arrive and depart this gateway to Oregon on a daily basis. Our A330 aircraft operates just one daily roundtrip to PDX, but that doesn’t mean the workload is any less challenging than at other company stations. Kaleo’s typical day involves all issues that other locations deal with, including customer service, aircraft maintenance, employee relations, accounting, cargo handling, coordinating with airport officials and, of course, safety. “Safety is at the forefront of our daily operation in Portland; which is a reflection of the culture at Hawaiian Airlines, where safety is No. 1,” says Kaleo, a Kamehameha Schools
graduate who started with us as a Ramp Agent in 2006. “Safety is something we weave into the fabric of our operation, day in and day out. When employees see our efforts to constantly monitor all operations, they understand that we have a passion for safety, which creates a safety culture.” He also credits Portland International Airport, among the highest-rated U.S. airports in terms of safety. “We’re very lucky,” he says. “Portland has great facilities and they incorporate a lot of new technologies to enhance the customer experience—not to mention, they’re a great partner to work with.” Kaleo accepts his share of the odd aircraft delay or ramp incident with poise, but when the occasional severe snow storm hits, he fondly recalls Hawai‘i’s unbeatable weather. “If we do get a heavy snowfall, it can delay our flight for up to two to three hours as they wait their turn in the queue for de-icing.”
Kaleo has considered moving back to Hawai‘i some day, with wife Maria and their two children. But for now, he feels at home in Portland. And why not? A two-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner with the musical group Pali, Kaleo still performs regularly at a Hawaiian restaurant in Portland. Plus, he enjoys his colleagues, many of whom are connected to the Islands. “Half of our PDX staff are from Hawai‘i,” he notes. “Some transplanted here, some were going to college and decided to stay. They’re grateful to work for a company that makes it easy to get back home to their ‘aina. ” The other 16 part-time “above the wing” Guest Service Agents are Pacific Northwest locals who were “always intrigued with Hawai‘i.” Kaleo relies on each and every one of them, as well as the full-time “below the wing” Operations Manager and four Maintenance employees, who are with Kaleo at the helm 24/7. All are proud to represent Hawaiian Airlines at PDX, ensuring that our hallmark island hospitality begins and ends with us. ■
Grace Under Fire
Images of the dazed and bloodied passenger dragged off a United Airlines flight in Chicago dominated the mainstream and social media. A flurry of subsequent in-flight conflicts were captured via cell phone camera. Incidents like these have thrust the entire airline industry under a microscope of scrutiny, extending all the way to Capitol Hill. How could the state of modern air travel ever get to this?
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EW OF US could imagine a scuffle like this ever escalating aboard one of our flights, but the incident, nevertheless, raises some very important issues we can all learn from. After all, no matter how good we are, we can always improve. First thing’s first: contrary to many media reports, the United Airlines incident was not a case of overbooking. The company was “deadheading” personnel to relieve a flight crew that had timed out in another city. Every airline, including ours, does this occasionally to minimize disruption to other flights. Providing priority travel to deadheading crews is critical to protecting the integrity of an airline schedule. But, if the aircraft is full, it can result in denying boarding to customers…even if they have paid for their flight. “Hawaiian Airlines, on occasion, must deny boarding to ensure that our operation as a whole can continue to run on time,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jon Snook. “It is extremely rare, and in fact we consistently have the lowest denied boarding rate of any domestic carrier. Most often, these rare
denials are the result of a mechanical issue, which forces us to replace larger aircraft with smaller ones – not from deadheading or overbooking.” In cases where we have no choice but to reduce passenger count on a flight, we have strengthened and broadened our policies to empower our agents to work with guests to voluntarily give up their seats in return for fair compensation. “We have an escalation process in place that allows our Guest Services personnel to incrementally increase allowable compensation for our guests’ inconvenience,” said Vice President of Airport Operations Jeff Helfrick. “It’s important to remember that, while we have formulas and policies to give us direction and guidance, we have a much higher responsibility to care for our guests with aloha and ho‘okipa throughout their time with us.” There are consequences to the recent spate of air conflicts. The United Airlines incident has fueled cell phone documentation to record levels. Recording video is neither illegal nor prohibited, unless shot in a place where you can expect a reasonable degree of privacy. Because
we operate a public transportation company, the work we do disallows any legal right to privacy at airports or aboard aircraft. “Our best defense is to continually deliver the unparalleled hospitality that is our greatest strength and competitive advantage,” said Vice President of In-Flight Services Robin Sparling. “If we remain calm, polite and deliver great service when a recording device is pointed at us, we leave nothing of interest for others to see excepts further evidence of our award-winning customer service.” Will the in-flight paparazzi ever stop? Not likely. In fact, we can probably expect passengers to film us with far greater regularity into the foreseeable future. “If we are doing the right thing for the customer, it should not cause any concern. Instead, it’ll be solid proof that we are indeed doing everything possible to provide the assistance and care we are known for,” said Jon. ■
Collaboration for Smoother and Safer Skies You probably already know that Hawaiian Airlines has adopted NAVBLUE’s N-Flight computer system for all flight planning operations. You’ve heard it will help calculate routes with state-of-the-art accuracy, reduce flight times, conserve fuel, control costs, maintain punctuality and lead to a smoother on-board experience for our guests. Now, read the story of Hawaiian Airlines employees who made it happen, on-time, under budget and exceeding all expectations.
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UST 10 MONTHS AGO, a diverse mix of Dispatch, Operations Automation, Information Technology, Midrange, Network and IT Security began collaborating on an ambitious goal to replace the outdated Dispatch Manager system. “This was an extremely complex project, and no one in our company had ever done it before, so we had to figure out everything,” said Erik Levins, Senior Manager of SOC Operations Automation. “But people got very excited; it was amazing to watch. They chipped in part-time hours, in addition to their full-time responsibilities. They spent evenings and weekends solving hundreds of problems that did not have easy answers.” Circumventing the need for outside vendor support, the team was able to reverse-engineer the existing product, then customize it to better fit our needs. They installed a new data center and integrated five different data systems. They conducted several thousand hours of integration, functional and live
testing to ensure that messages were received properly and data transfer was accurate. “Hawaiian Airlines employees worked so expertly and quickly that we didn’t need to hire contractors, which saved the company almost three-quarters of a million dollars. And we expect this software will continue to yield benefits, long into the future,” said Steve Cunningham, Director of Dispatch. “The team also created a common script so that IT, Support and Dispatch can all talk to each other and easily identify problems as we move forward,” added Alarico Fernandes, PHOTOS (Clockwise from top) > Gary Ozaki, Jarrett Plemer and Chelsea Saito conducted more than 2,500 hours of testing > Erik Levins (L) and Alarico Fernandes (R) managed NAVBLUE’s data integration with six other flight programs. Mark Abraham tested the final product. > Ella Fajilan-Nichols and Steve Cunningham ensured the new system’s functional performance. > Ryan Blessing trained Dispatch in the new NAVBLUE software.
Analyst, Systems Operations Control. “And they tweaked the interface to look very similar to the old system so our pilots could transition easily, without the need for further training.” The resulting NAVBLUE flight planning system is very robust and extremely reliable, with triple hardware and software redundancies, so operating from a remote Pacific archipelago isn’t the issue it might’ve been in past decades. A wide array of information – weather, GPS signal strength, NOTAMs (NOTices to AirMen), and wind forecasts – is incorporated to help pilots avoid in-flight hazards, such as turbulence and icing. The built-in algorithms automatically create the most optimal route, reducing flight time and conserving fuel. “I’d like to congratulate everyone who contributed to this effort,” noted Ken Rewick, Vice President of Flight Operations. “Their passion, dedication, and planning assured our success. Hawaiian Airlines has a great new flight planning system that will grow with us for many years to come.” ■
Kama‘aina Insights / The Jumping Flea Although the ‘ukulele is a beloved Hawaiian icon, its origin can be traced to Portugal. As the story goes, the Ravenscrag docked at Honolulu Harbor on August 23, 1879, after a difficult four-month trip from Madeira. On board were 419 passengers, including a musician named Joao Fernandez, who was so happy to have arrived safely, he began playing his braguinha and singing Portuguese folk songs on the wharf.
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KIN TO A SMALL GUITAR, the braguinha caught the eye of Hawaiians who had gathered to greet the ship; they had never seen such an instrument before. A few weeks later, the Hawaiian Gazette newspaper reported, “Madeira Islanders…have been delighting the people with nightly street concerts,” which no doubt included the braguinha. At some point, Hawaiians began calling the instrument “‘ukulele”; two theories explain the name. ‘Uku means “flea,” and lele means “ jump,” referring to musicians’ nimble fingers moving on the fretboard. Queen Lili‘uokalani, Hawai‘i’s last reigning monarch, preferred the more poetic definition. Uku (without the glottal stop) means “reward,” and another definition of lele is “to come”; together, they could translate as “the reward (or gift) that came here.”
Kamaka Ukulele: The legendary factory offers free 60-minute guided tours at 550 South St., Tuesdays through Fridays, starting at 10:30 a.m. No reservations are required for individuals, couples and groups of no more than five people. Larger groups must schedule special tours in advance by calling (808) 531-3165.
The fact that it was small, produced a pleasant sound, was fun and easy to play and was relatively inexpensive, contributed to the ‘ukulele’s rising popularity. Manuel Nunes, Augusto Dias and José do Espírito Santo, three cabinetmakers who had been on Ravenscrag’s 1879 voyage to O‘ahu, figured that could lead to a promising career. After fulfilling their contracts as sugar plantation workers, they became Hawai‘i’s first ‘ukulele manufacturers. Nunes opened a shop in Honolulu in 1880, employing Dias and Santo. Demand for ‘ukulele was so great, the latter two left in 1884 and 1888, respectively, to start their own businesses. From farmers who plucked their “taro patch fiddle” during breaks in the fields to Hawaiian royalty who strummed songs in the elegant music room at ‘Iolani Palace, everyone loved the ‘ukulele. In fact, it was reportedly the favorite instrument of King Kalākaua, who learned how to make ‘ukulele under the tutelage of Dias. Later, renowned entertainers such as George Formby, Arthur Godfrey, Tiny Tim, Elvis Presley and George Harrison helped secure the ‘ukulele’s place in music history and the hearts of music lovers around the world. ■
Ukulele Festival: Plan on attending the 47th annual event on Sunday, July 16, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Kapi‘olani Park. Admission is free. As usual, there will be ‘ukulele lessons, displays, giveaways and continuous entertainment, including the 700 students of Roy Sakuma ‘Ukulele Studios. For more information, email: info@ukulelefestivalhawaii.org or visit www. ukulelefestivalhawaii.org.
Merrie Monarch / The Language of the Heart
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AWAIIAN AIRLINES continued its legacy of support for the Merrie Monarch Festival, the state’s largest and most prestigious hula competition, held every Spring on the Island of Hawai‘i. Team Kōkua entered another stunning float in this year’s Royal Parade, which begins and ends at Pauahi Street in downtown Hilo. Hawaiian Airlines is a host in the fullest sense of the word, explains Director of Community Relations Debbie Nakanelua-Richards. Our aircraft help halau from every Island travel to the festival, including their ukana (bags and belongings), as well as transport the unique prizes. We also provide a shuttle from local hotels to the Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium, while
EDITOR
Mark Berthold Corporate Communications CONTRIBUTORS
Damian Balinowski Corporate Communications
Debbie Nakanelua-Richards Community Relations Kaleo Titcombe PDX Station
Team Kōkua volunteers engage the visitors and residents at every stop on the way there, and afterward on their way home or to their hotel. We have a very special relationship with Merrie Monarch that is based on shared values and a shared opportunity to perpetuate the dance. Hawaiian Airlines is proud to extend this courtesy to community members, guests and dancers alike. “The Merrie Monarch festival is one of Hawai‘i’s treasured traditions,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Dunkerley. “We are pleased to have sponsored this sharing of the art of hula, and of the culture of Hawai‘i, for more than three decades.” ■
COVER
Juliet Mua, HNL Guest Service Chief Agent, exemplifies that Ho‘okipa, our Hawaiian hospitality, comes from the heart.
is published monthly by the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs department. Between issues, get the latest news and information via HApeople.
Steven Cunningham Dispatch, Flight
Contributions, questions, comments and suggestions can be sent to corpcomm2@hawaiianair.com.
Alarico Fernandes Systems Operations Control
Contribution deadline for the August issue: July 14, 2017.
Erik Levins SOC Operations Automation