DESTINATION PPT
WHERE TO NEXT?
PASS TRAVELING
THE STORY OF HULA
MARCH 2017
TO
Destination / Papeete
A ‘Ā ‘A I O N A F AT T R RN PO E R T AI IN
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If the allure of a secluded tropical paradise ever made you want to hop on the next plane to the South Pacific, you might want to give Papeete (PPT), Tahiti, a try. Peppered with majestic emerald mountain peaks, crystal clear waters and brilliant white-sand beaches, the island of Tahiti is as beautiful as it is accessible – by way of one of our weekly flights, and on the same side of the International Date Line as North America. The myriad of islands and atolls that comprise this French Polynesian paradise each offer their own unique combination of activities, accommodations, cuisine and island hospitality that should feel, well…very familiar. Read the responses compiled below by our colleagues at PPT Station for more tips on visiting Tahiti! What do you like best about Tahiti? The people! Tahitians are warm and welcoming and very festive; any excuse is a good one to bring out the guitars and ‘ukulele for a “bringue” and put on a good meal for friends and family. We also love Tahiti’s diversity – language, culture and arts and crafts are unique to each island. There are five archipelagos in French Polynesia – this French Overseas Territory is made up of 121 islands or islets: Austral Islands, Gambier Islands, Marquesas Islands Tuamoto Archipelago and the Society Islands which include Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Ra‘iatea, Huahine, Taha’a and Tetiaroa. What’s one thing employees must do while visiting? Visit the island of Mo‘orea which is only a 30-minute ferry ride away. Don’t leave without buying yourself a beautiful authentic Tahitian black pearl! Order a meal or snack from one of the “Roulottes” – island famous lunch wagons that are located on the pier side of Papeete. A variety of food to satisfy any taste is served which includes Chinese, French, crepes (sweet and salty) and local fare like the famous “Poisson Cru.” Do you have any tips for traveling to PPT? Make sure you are equipped with mosquito repellent and wear light, casual attire. What attraction or activity would you say is one of Tahiti’s “best kept secrets?” Take a tour of Te Pari, the inaccessible side of Tahiti. It offers a rare look at our island in its natural splendor.
What’s a favorite food/dish of Tahiti? Local style Poisson Cru with Coconut Milk or Fafaru Fish (a local delicacy). What’s the best time of year to visit Tahiti? May-June or SeptemberOctober for the weather – it’s less hot and rainy. And, during the month of July, there are the famous Heiva festivities. Just be mindful of the high load factors on our weekly flights during this time. Share a little bit about the culture, lifestyle and people of Tahiti. Tahitian ladies love to complement their outfits with a beautiful head lei. You can wear one for any occasion. Are there any upcoming events/activities taking place in April or May? There are many fun events coming up! We have the Tahiti Mo‘orea Marathon on March 25, the Vanira Raid 7th Edition from April 1-8, the Tahiti Pearl Regatta from May 23-27, and the XTerra Tahiti 8th Edition from May 6-27. What’s your favorite outdoor activity? Hiking, visiting island sights (La Maroto, Te Pari, etc), sailing (a true sailor’s paradise), snorkeling diving and of course, fishing! ■
The Truth About Pass Travel
As employees of Hawaiian Airlines, the world is within our reach thanks to our Pass Travel program. For those of us who work in the airline industry, it’s a unique privilege for us and our dependents to be able to visit new and exciting destinations at a whim, with minimal impact on our pocketbooks. And while our remarkable growth has been good news for our bottom line, it has raised some concerns about the overall availability of Pass Travel seats on our flights.
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EEDBACK FROM NĀ LEO and other avenues suggests that employees feel like it’s getting more and more difficult to secure non-revenue seats due to full flights. Yet, despite the perception of dwindling seat availability, a large and growing number of employee and dependent Pass Travelers, as well as Friendship Travel Program (FTP) and Other Airlines (OA) riders, are being accommodated.
Here are some tips and tricks to help get you and your family to your final destination.
According to last year’s figures provided by our booking vendor ID90Travel, Hawaiian Airlines carried more than 422,000 Pass Travelers throughout our route network in 2016 – 80 percent of whom were employees, retirees and their eligible dependents. That overall figure is up 32,000 over 2015 (390,000 total), and more than 52,000 from 2014 (370,000 total).
Flex Those Flight Plans / One of the most convenient features of
“The fact that so many employees are able to take advantage of their Pass Travel privileges demonstrates that we have one of the best travel programs in the industry,” said Pass Travel Manager Jody Borges. While we have a great program, Jody is quick to note that Pass Travel always carries a certain degree of risk. That risk is based on the availability of unsold seats that could potentially disappear as late as 90 minutes prior to departure. ■
We’re fortunate to work for a company that provides many great programs for its employees, including flight privileges. We’re always looking for ways to improve the Pass Travel program to ensure that our employees can take full advantage and see the world with their families. —Jody Borges
Be Prepared / Research alternate flights and routings before starting
your trip and have at least two backup scenarios to consider in case plans change. our Pass Travel program is the ability to change your travel plans at a moment’s notice. Modify your travel dates or routes flown without penalty. By the Numbers / ID90Travel displays load information for our
flights that is updated every morning. While always subject to change, it provides a good idea of availability. OA Away / Hawaiian Airlines has ZED (Zonal Employee Discount)
agreements with more than 100 quality carriers worldwide, offering our employees a variety of alternatives. Tap into that Tech / Where possible, take advantage of online and
mobile options to check-in for your flight and generate a boarding pass. If checking a bag, use one of our convenient kiosks. This will not only enhance your Pass Travel experience, but will also allow our Agents to focus on taking care of our guests. Carry On! Carry On! / Whenever possible, avoid checking in hold
luggage. Sticking with hand carry luggage allows you to be more nimble if you have to suddenly switch flights or airlines. On Time, On Line / Be in the departure lounge no later than the
boarding time stated on your boarding pass. Stay…Just a Little Bit Longer / Never leave the departure lounge
until you see the jet bridge pulled and the aircraft being pushed. Noshows are a fact of life in our industry and a godsend to Pass Travelers worldwide. Rollover Pass Rider / If you weren’t able to obtain seats, ensure that
the agent has rolled you over to the next flight, unless you decide not to travel or go with one of our OA partners (in which case, it’s good etiquette to cancel flights that you no longer wish to take).
SYDNEY HARBOUR CHALLENGE
2017
Team Kōkua takes on the Sydney Harbour Challenge
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ONGRATULATIONS to Team Kōkua’s men’s paddling crew! The outrigger canoe team placed ninth in the Open Men’s Division of the fourth annual Sydney Harbour Challenge presented by Hawaiian Airlines outrigger canoe race on Feb. 25, with a time of 1 hour, 11 minutes and 54 seconds. Proudly representing Hawaiian Airlines were Maintenance Supervisor Mario Mausio, Aircraft Mechanic Ian Chun, B717 First Officer Jimmy Austin, A330 First Officer Braden Piercy and Mark Dayao, Manager - Learning Management Systems Administration. They are all experienced paddlers who have competed in major races in Hawai‘i, as well as two other events that we sponsor – the 15-mile Liberty Challenge, held in June in the waters surrounding New York City, and October’s Moloka‘i Hoe, a 41-mile test of endurance that crosses the treacherous Ka‘iwi Channel between Moloka‘i and O‘ahu. Teams from Australia, New Zealand, Hawai‘i, Singapore, Hong Kong and the U.S. Mainland filled five divisions in the physically challenging 12.4-mile outrigger canoe race which takes teams past landmarks from Manly, to Taronga Zoo, the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Luna Park. ■
Kama‘āina Insights / Hula After breakfast we were entertained with the performance of a young girl, who danced in a small area before our door. She was ably assisted by her father, who beat on a small drum and joined her in the singing and reciting and sometimes in a brisk dialogue, while she… traversed the area with such measured paces and fascinating movements, with such graceful attitudes and such agility and animation of acting, so punctually timed and so varied by easy transitions (that it) far exceeded anything of the kind we had before seen at these islands.
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O WROTE ARCHIBALD MENZIES, botanist on Captain George Vancouver’s third voyage to Hawai‘i – obviously enchanted by a hula performance he saw in January 1794 during a trip to the uplands of Kona. The Christian missionaries who first arrived in 1820, however, were far less approving. Reverend Hiram Bingham noted, “The decent covering of a foreign dress was not then permitted to the public dancers…The whole arrangement and process of their old hulas were designed to promote lasciviousness, and of course the practice of them could not flourish in modest communities.” Never mind that for centuries the hula was far more than entertainment to the Hawaiians. In ancient times, the people had no written language; thus, the dance recorded important genealogies, played a role in religious rites and reenacted battles, royal births and other momentous events. It also celebrated the beauty of nature, from fish in the sea to flowers blooming on mountain slopes. As Christianity spread throughout the Islands and Western ways were accepted, public presentations of the hula ceased. They were not revived until the reign of King Kalākaua, nicknamed the “Merrie Monarch” because of his jovial personality. He directed that hula be a prominent part of his 1883 coronation. Today, hula is performed throughout the Islands at weddings, graduations, fundraisers, hotel shows, birthday and anniversary parties and Lei Day programs at schools. Festivals featuring hālau (hula schools) from throughout the state draw big crowds. Named after King Kalākaua, the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo is Hawai‘i’s longest-running and most prestigious hula event. Launched in 1963, it perpetuates, preserves and promotes the Hawaiian culture and its arts, including the hula. Attendees enjoy a parade, Hawaiian arts fair, live musical entertainment and a three-day hula competition. Hawaiian Airlines has been a major sponsor of the Merrie Monarch Festival for more than 30 years. Our support includes scheduling extra flights in and out of Hilo during the week of the festival; offering special group fares and baggage waivers for competing hālau; and operating the Hula Shuttle, the complimentary bus service that goes between hotels and the Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium on competition days. This year’s festival will run April 16-22. For more information, go to http://merriemonarch.com. ■
Wheels Down at JHM…Again
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T’S BEEN A LONG TIME, decades even, since a Hawaiian Airlines aircraft touched down at Kapalua Airport (JHM) in West Maui. But on March 1, 2017, it was wheels down at JHM for ‘Ohana by Hawaiian as we celebrated our long-awaited return to that community. The inaugural flight took place precisely 30 years to the day that the airport first opened to air traffic. Originally owned and operated by Hawaiian Airlines, JHM – named after then president, former owner and CEO John H. Magoon – served a clutch of daily inter-island passenger and cargo operations crucial to the burgeoning resort area. We celebrated our return in March with traditional Hawaiian festivities worthy of any inaugural, and the ceremonious dedication of the John H. Magoon wall (adorning a wall inside the terminal) which recounts the history of the airport and air travel in the region and Mr. Magoon’s significant contributions to its success. Hawaiian Airlines was honored to have members of the Magoon family fly in with us on the first flight to take part in our longawaited return.
Our decision to re-open service to Kapalua was driven principally by an overwhelming desire from the community, and to make connections easier for guests vacationing in Honolulu and Kapalua. “This daily Kapalua service will complement Hawaiian’s existing flight at Kahului Airport making it even more convenient for kama‘āina and visitors alike to visit the Kā‘anapali Coast, while amplifying tourism and serving the needs of our local Maui businesses,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Peter Ingram.
John H. Magoon JHM
State Director of Transportation Ford Fuchigami lauded the new service for increasing travel options to the Valley Isle. “The Hawaii Department of Transportation is pleased to welcome Hawaiian Airlines back to Kapalua Airport. HDOT is confident that this will benefit residents and visitors alike through increased transportation accessibility.” ■
Where To Next? Inquiring minds at Hawaiian Airlines want to know: Where are we flying to next? We, of course, have been expanding our reach in recent years, and one of the keys to that has been our Director of Network Planning, Chris Keen.
He also explained that as a destination carrier, Hawaiian Airlines strives to provide enhanced non-stop service to and between the islands, to make it easier for customers to travel. Such thinking was behind the recent inauguration of direct flights between Līhu‘e and Kona. Chris noted that people traveling between Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i Island used to have to make a connection in Honolulu or Kahului, resulting in a trip of up to three hours each way.
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“That hassle factor means that when someone who lives in Kona thinks of going away for the weekend, they’re probably not going to go to Kaua‘i,” he said. “Similarly, I think there are many tourists who would like to combine Hawai‘i Island with some time on Kaua‘i, but are dissuaded by the lack of a nonstop flight. So with our new daily nonstop service we expect to stimulate new demand there.”
INCE the Boston-area native joined us in 2013, Hawaiian has expanded from 33 to 45 routes, including flights to Beijing and our first nonstop service between Tokyo and Kona.
Chris’ team conducts the research and due diligence to justify such expansion, which has made him popular among those who want to know what their future itineraries could look like. “Yeah, every time I get on a flight, that’s the first thing I get asked by the flight attendants, but I unfortunately can never tell them,” he said with a laugh. Chris is circumspect because many things have to come together before we can announce and launch a new route, and sometimes plans must be revised due to circumstances outside our control. An example is our decision to postpone flights that we had hoped to add this fall, because of delays in delivery of our new A321neo fleet.
Each route must eventually become self-sustaining, and occasionally Hawaiian Airlines has had to discontinue service in the face of lowerthan-expected performance. Fortunately, these cases have been rare. Overall, Hawaiian Airlines has been expanding, and plans to keep doing so, as there are still many exciting route opportunities left to launch. Which means, for now, Chris likely will continue to be asked at company meetings and parties — and on our flights — “Where are we going to next?” ■
Chris and his staff constantly monitor data from many sources to keep Hawaiian on its incremental, but steady and successful, growth path. “For domestic markets, there’s reliable data out there on the number of people traveling to Hawai‘i and how they get here, but information for international markets isn’t as extensive. We spend a lot of time trying to understand current demand for travel to Hawai‘i from various cities and countries, how it will grow over time, and how it would respond to the introduction of new service.” Chris points out that once a decision is made on a new route, it takes about a year to make it happen, after securing regulatory approvals and deals with airports, preparing staff to be deployed and starting sales.
EDITOR
Nicky Leong Texeira Corporate Communications
Chris Keen Network Planning
CONTRIBUTORS
Brian Sabog In-Flight
Damian Balinowski Corporate Communications
Tara Shimooka Corporate Communications
Jody Borges Human Resources Liz Bouvier Airport Operations Mark Dayao Training and Development Kevin Imanaka Corporate Communications
COVER
Hawaiian served Kapalua Airport between March 1987 and April 1993. The three-letter designator code, JHM, was given to the airport in honor of the man who built it: Hawaiian Airlines’ former CEO and Chairman, John “Jack” H. Magoon, Jr.
is published monthly by the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs department. Between issues, get the latest news and information via HApeople. Contributions, questions, comments and suggestions can be sent to corpcomm2@hawaiianair.com. Contribution deadline for the May issue: April 14, 2017.