Hoike - May 2017

ART OF FEATHERWORK

ADVERTISING STRATEGIES

REDUCING EMISSIONS

CULTURE SHAPES US

MAY 2017

PUALANI proud

Culture Shapes Us The very popular local phrase “Lucky we live Hawai‘i” conveys the abundant privilege it is to reside in what the rest of the world calls paradise. But for Hawai‘i’s flagship airline – and one of the state’s largest and most influential employers – the aphorism evokes an even deeper meaning, a sense of responsibility or kuleana.

“At its earliest stages of development here in Hawai‘i, Inter-Island Airways boldly re-branded itself to more accurately reflect the central focus of its service and, in doing so, took on the name Hawaiian Airlines. The responsibility we’ve had ever since first bearing that name is significant and longstanding,” said Debbie Nakanelua-Richards, who heads up our community relations efforts. “Wherever we fly, whatever we do, we represent the State of Hawai‘i, its people and the rich Hawaiian culture that helps to define our award-winning service.”

In fact, it is this sense of kuleana that sets Hawaiian Airlines apart from other flagship airlines. “We honor our host culture, the Hawaiian culture, perhaps more intimately, routinely and authentically than any other airline I can think of,” said Debbie. “Throughout our airport facilities, buildings, fleets and even employee programs – it is who we are and how we identify ourselves.”

Case in point: just look upward. Every single one of our aircraft flies with a unique Hawaiian name.

■ Our inter-island B717 fleet is named after indigenous birds that live

their entire lives within the Hawaiian archipelago.

■ The fleet of B767 aircraft used for our trans-Pacific journeys bears the

name of migratory birds that traverse the Pacific.

■ And each of our A330s represents a celestial marker used by ancient

Hawaiian navigators in their wayward voyages.

“And soon we will welcome our newest fleet of aircraft named after important elements of the indigenous rainforests found only in Hawai‘i.

It’s a very exciting time as we begin to thoughtfully name our A321neos after terrestrial features so remarkably important to our ecosystem,” Debbie said.

And as each of our aircraft takes flight for the first time, it has done so with the traditional blessing of longtime Hawaiian Airlines Kahu (pastor) Richard Kamanu. “Each time we gather to bless a new Hawaiian Airlines airplane, it is to give thanks for the many hands that build it,

make it airworthy and steward it to transport our guests. And it is to ask for safe passage on every takeoff and touchdown,” said Kahu Kamanu.

“The important element of a Hawaiian blessing is unique to Hawaiian Airlines and reflects the deep respect and aloha that the company has for native Hawaiian culture and tradition.”

And as Kahu will tell you, he is always busy blessing corporate and airport facilities – the conference and breakrooms of which bear the Hawaiian names of the features of our ‘āina (land). “From our headquarters to the newest Cargo and Maintenance facilities coming online later this year, you’d be hard pressed to find a space of Hawaiian Airlines real estate that does not honor the ‘ōlelo (language),” said Debbie.

Station employees and crews are often the best source of information for guests who have questions about Hawai‘i. In response to this, Hawaiian Airlines has_ developed employee classes in culture and language. “Papa Hula and ‘Olelo Hawai‘i were created because we are all ambassadors of Hawaiian Airlines and should have an appreciation for our home culture, regardless of where we were born. When you think about it, we (employees) are all kama‘āina (children of the land) to our guests,” said Community Relations Coordinator Keoni Martin, who also teaches Hawaiian language classes for employees.

Most important, says In-Flight Services Vice President Robin Sparling, is the authenticity of our service, on the ground and in the air, that reflects the Hawaiian concept of mea ho‘okipa, loosely translated as ‘we are host.’ “We train our Flight Attendants to anticipate our guests’ needs and do all we can to make them comfortable, as we would with guests in our own home,” Robin said. “It’s crucial that our actions reflect, honor and uphold the standards of our host culture – it’s what separates us from every other airline, not just with our crews, but throughout our entire company.”

Lucky we live Hawai‘i? Lucky indeed. ■

Get to Know…Hoku Beltz / The Art of Featherwork

The diversity of our employees, representative of this wonderfully kalakoa (of many colors) place we call home, makes Hawaiian Airlines a true standout among airline workforces. Whether out on the front lines or behind the scenes, our employees have unique experiences, talents and skills that, together, make us much stronger. Many of us also do some pretty amazing things in our leisure time. As part of a new series, we are featuring employees who possess interesting skills and talents.

We sat down with Hoku Beltz from our IT Technology Delivery team, who has been with our ‘ohana for more than 11 years – and has a very unique hobby.

What pastime are you involved in outside of work? I do Hawaiian featherwork in my spare time. I make lei, kahili, and other feather items.

What drives you to do what you do? In November 1994, I met a wonderful woman named Mary Lou Kekuewa. Auntie Mary Lou was a renowned feather master who later hānai’d (adopted) me and became my teacher and mentor. Mama (Auntie Mary Lou) and my hānai sister, Paulette Kahalepuna, introduced me to Hawaiian featherwork and I learned many different techniques. Since both Mama and Paulette have passed on, I continue to perpetuate the artwork and legacy they created. I feel it is my kuleana to share what I was taught to anyone who wants to learn. In addition to creating featherwork of my own, I have started teaching small groups and individuals.

Describe the training or preparation that has allowed you to practice your unique craft. Oh my. I spent at least one to two hours each day practicing feather placement for the first nine months of my training. Mama and Paulette would review my work and have me repeat it until I could see the changes in real time without having to rework. I was also taught to mimic other styles in order to be able to recreate historical patterns. I often traveled with Paulette to conduct workshops and craft fairs. In addition, I was invited to participate in cleaning and refurbishing kahili at Kamehameha Schools, Kawaiahao Church, and St. Andrews Cathedral – to name a few.

The exposure to the different techniques helped me to broaden my knowledge base.

How much of your own time does this typically take you? A lei takes anywhere from 16 to 40 hours. Kahili and larger projects are completed over a longer period of time. Some weeks, it consumes most of my free time as it is a true labor of love for me and I lose track of time while deep in the project.

Are there any interesting parallels to your job? Consistency, consistency, consistency.

In featherwork, there is no true “right” way.

Some featherworkers place their feathers very close and some prefer a more “lacy” look. Also, feathers from different birds require different techniques. The important thing is that when you start a lei or other featherwork project, you continue to be consistent throughout in order to create a beautiful end product. ■

Lei, Livery and Our Beloved Pualani

May Day is always a very special celebration of aloha in the Islands, but this Lei Day was quite a bit different than most. This year, the flowers were on our fuselage.

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AWAIIAN AIRLINES employees (and the rest of the world) got their very first peek at the company’s updated brand identity, freshly realized on the canvas of one of our Boeing 717s. Aircraft N488HA is the first of more than 50 aircraft that will feature our refreshed logo and livery.

Nearly a thousand eager employees packed the new Cargo Facility for a special Lei Day celebration to honor Pualani (which translates to ‘Flower of the Sky’). She has been the beloved icon of our brand for more than four decades, and her upward gaze will continue to adorn the tail of our aircraft. Beneath her, a silver maile lei with woven pakalana flowers wraps around the fuselage in a larger-than-life expression of the aloha spirit.

“Our new livery is a stronger, more contemporary representation of Hawaiian Airlines’ culture of service and hospitality, which is the bedrock of our guest experience and sets Hawaiian Airlines apart in the industry,” said President and Chief Executive Officer

Mark Dunkerley. “It acknowledges our place as Hawai‘i’s airline and underscores the commitment our employees make every day to provide our guests with a gracious and genuine island welcome.”

can enter selfies via Twitter and Instagram with any newly branded item (including our new livery), or upload them to the special employee microsite on HApeople.com for a chance to win great prizes throughout May.”

After a carefully crafted build-up to the big reveal, narrated with video and commentary, Mark led onlookers to the newly-adorned aircraft parked on the tarmac. “I think the new look is amazing,” said Senior Auditor for Regulatory Compliance Colette Coty. “I think it’s beautiful and it’s something all employees can really feel proud of as we take our next step into the future.”

In addition to the refreshed livery design, travelers across our domestic and international network will begin to see the new logo throughout their journey – on web and digital assets, collateral, airport lobby signage and kiosks, and aircraft. New aircraft will all be delivered in the new livery, and our existing aircraft will be painted over the coming years.

The aircraft also made for some unique photo opportunities, tied to the kickoff of Hawaiian Airlines’ first employee-only social media contest.

“We wanted employees to really get involved with this launch today and throughout the entire month,” said Senior Director of Global Marketing Communications Kevin Yim. “You

“So much of our visual identity, which is 15 years old, still resonated deeply with our guests and employees,” said Senior Vice President of Marketing Avi Mannis. “Our aim was to retain the essence of our brand and arrive at a bolder, truer expression of our unique Hawaiian hospitality.” ■

What Does Pualani Mean to You?

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Pualani has very deep personal meaning for me and my family. My father worked for Hawaiian and I can remember flying on the DC-3 to visit my grandparents on Kaua‘i. My father’s job with Hawaiian helped to put me and my two brothers though school, just as my job with the company has allowed me to put my own two daughters through school. Throughout the years, Pualani has provided so much for me and my ‘ohana. —Matthews “Matt” Suan HNL Cargo Chief She is the Queen of Hawaiian Airlines. She is with us wherever we fly. When our airplanes land at airports throughout the world or even within our state, she carries the true spirit and meaning of Hawai‘i. When I see her on the tail of the airplane I am about to fly, it brings a great sense of pride to know how fortunate I am to be part of something so great. Very unique – wherever we go, people know where we’re from. —Capt. Tom Hada A330 Captain Pualani personifies Hawaiian Airlines’ character with a display of strength, forward-looking vision, and purpose in her expression. Her cosmopolitan features give a feeling of belonging to the world and yet, the hibiscus in her hair adds a distinct Hawaiian look that reflects the unique service that only Hawai‘i’s hometown carrier can provide. —Pam Tomita Revenue Management Our image of Pualani represents Hawaiian Airlines’ sense of elegance, kindness and our proud heritage of island hospitality. At the same time, her expression captures the spirit, strength, beauty and confidence of the people of Hawaiian Airlines. —Adalbert Doles A330 Captain When I see her on the tail, I’m going home. It gives me a happy and warm feeling – I’ll soon be back with my ‘ohana. Looking at the logo itself, I see Hawai‘i and its friendly, caring and loving people. —Kelly Toguchi Flight Attendant I remember a long time ago, when times were tough at Hawaiian Airlines. A friend commented to me: “You spend more time at work than you do at home.” So I jokingly responded that everyone is doing well at home, but at work, my Aunty (Pualani) is not doing so well, so we all need to pitch in and help take care of her right now. Many of us still remember those times when she wasn’t feeling so well, but throughout those tough times, there were a lot of great memories, coming together to take care of her. I am sincerely proud to be a part of her ‘ohana and especially thankful that she is healthier than ever now and back to taking care of all of us! —Sherron Kono HNL Customer Service Agent Pualani is a symbol of our unique Hawaiian hospitality, where we treat all of our passengers as our special guests! —Suzanne Chong Kee Aircraft Scheduler Pualani is the essence of Hawaiian Airlines and represents the values and spirit of all our employees. She is iconic around the world and can be recognized wherever she flies. She carries the spirit of our island home and serves as a reminder of the aloha spirit, which ties our people and culture throughout all corners of the globe. —Guinevere Misa SEA Customer Service Agent

Hawai‘i Flies With Us! Marketing Hawaiian Airlines

As a destination carrier serving Hawai‘i, our job is to expose the rest of the world to the paradise we call home. And we do a pretty good job of this. But there is competition, and the seats on our planes don’t just sell themselves.

That’s where Kevin Yim, Senior Director of Global Marketing Communications, comes in.

“Very simply, our job is to get people to buy tickets on Hawaiian Airlines in the most efficient manner possible,” said Kevin, who works with a staff of 13 in Honolulu and five marketing agencies around the world to accomplish that goal.

Going up against some of the world’s biggest airlines, Kevin’s staff uses four main marketing tools: email, digital and traditional advertising, social media and sponsorships and promotions.

Email, he said, is “the core of our marketing program,” directed at people “who have flown on us previously or expressed interest in Hawaiian Airlines.”

Digital ads target people who are searching online for hotel rates or other information that suggests they might visit Hawai‘i.

“They have digitally postured themselves to explore additional opportunities to visit Hawai‘i,” he said. “So for Google, if they should search ‘hotels in Hawai‘i,’ we’re going to present them an ad for flights to Hawai‘i.”

Such knowledge also guides Kevin’s decisions on where to place social media ads.

Traditional advertising, placed mostly outside of Hawai‘i, includes print media, radio and television, billboards, bus shelter ads and subway signage.

Addressing employee concerns that Hawaiian doesn’t seem to utilize traditional ads in Hawai‘i

as much anymore, Kevin said that’s because it has shifted more of its local marketing budget to sponsorships and promotions. And doing that, particularly in a place like Hawai‘i where relationships matter, can have a far greater impact.

“Our strategy around advertising generally in Hawai‘i is to promote things that make Hawai‘i unique and therefore help make us unique as an airline. And sponsoring iconic local events that demonstrate our commitment to the culture that defines us really does cement us in the community as Hawai‘i’s hometown carrier,” he said.

Thus, the company sponsors the Merrie Monarch Festival and the Molokai Hoe and Na Wahine ‘O Ke Kai outrigger canoe races, and is the longest-running corporate sponsor of the University of Hawai‘i athletics.

“The Merrie Monarch,” he said, “is a nice way

Reducing Emissions, One Hook Up at a Time

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T’S BEEN SAID that no company relies more on teamwork than an airline. The interdependence of individuals, orchestration of the work, and careful coordination of effort between teams are arguably more important in the detail-reliant business of commercial air travel than just about any other industry.

to talk about Hawai‘i without having to show the same old tropes of rainbows and sunshine, you know?”

Kevin said another important part of marketing Hawaiian is the flying experience itself. Because we are a destination airline, “we can be very targeted in how we differentiate ourselves. And, No. 1, the very first way that we differentiate ourselves is to say that your Hawai‘i vacation starts the minute you board the aircraft.”

“Our staff welcoming guests with a smile and ‘aloha’ as they board, our flight attendants wearing flowers in their hair, the amenities, the entertainment — all those little details we talk about in our ads to highlight why we are different than any other carrier to Hawai‘i.”

More important, Kevin added, is “the people we hire.”

“When someone flying into Hawai‘i asks, ‘Hey, you know, where should I go for dinner tonight?’ our flight attendants know the answer, because they grew up here.”

As did Kevin who, though he travels a lot to deal with Hawaiian’s marketing contractors abroad, spanning four different languages, his own primary languages still are just two: “English and pidgin.” ■

For proof, look no further than the ramp.

Our Airport Operations teams and other key partners across the company have been working closely together to raise their game when it comes to saving fuel…and their efforts are paying big dividends. Earlier this year, our Line Service and Ground Crews achieved a major milestone when they connected external power to our aircraft on all wide-body flights throughout our system.

That’s right, ALL of them.

You might wonder what the big deal is. Isn’t that standard procedure? Isn’t that just for one day? How exactly does that save us fuel?

Here’s how. Connecting external electrical power to an aircraft as it arrives at the gate reduces the need to use the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). The APU shutdown initiative is currently our number one fuel saving and carbon emission reduction effort because of the sheer volume of fuel we can save if we apply it more consistently. That’s because without the reliable and timely availability of external electrical power when the wide-bodies pull into the gate, we have to start the APU upon landing to keep the lights, avionics, air conditioning and other equipment on and, in some cases, run it for a few hours – which, as you might guess, burns fuel by the minute.

When working reliably, the initiative stands to reduce APU usage by an estimated 30 minutes per flight, saving 620,000 gallons of fuel per year, and avoiding 5,933 metrics tons of carbon from being released into the air. That’s enough fuel to fly our entire fleet of wide-bodies for one entire day and take 1,253 cars off the road.

What’s being referred to as “100-Percent Day” not only saw systemwide reduction of APU usage on all wide-body flights, but it was also done with amazing precision and speed (an average of 2.5 minutes upon arrival at the gate).

Our Line Service and Ramp crews in Hawai‘i and throughout our gateways have been chasing this goal for over a year, hovering around 92 percent, but have never quite reached 100 percent...until now.

“It’s very much like a carefully choreographed dance requiring great timing and the tight coordination of everyone involved in bringing our airplanes into the gate once they’ve landed,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jon Snook. “Our Line Service and Ramp crews have to ensure the availability of working external power at the gate, monitor the estimated arrival time of the aircraft down to the minute, and ensure everyone’s in place and ready to receive the aircraft.”

The coordination and execution of this drill has to be timed flawlessly in order to do it under three minutes on all wide-body flights, especially in HNL where we have multiple flights arriving during our peak. “I’m grateful to our Line Service and Ramp crews, and key partners in IT, Maintenance and Performance Engineering, who’ve made this happen for us, paving the way for what I think are some pretty exciting next steps in our fuel-saving processes,” said Jon. “It’ll take more consistency over time, but I think we’ve proven that we can effectively remove the barriers to getting this important work done in a rhythm that’s repeatable.”

That level of consistency and reliability could eventually obviate the need for flight crews to even start the APU at all when taxiing in – saving even more fuel. “It’s a matter of building that trust that the power will always be there when our pilots block-in,” said Jon. ■

Kama‘āina Insights / The History of the Wa‘a Between 800 and 1000 AD, courageous pioneers from the Marquesas sailed in 50-foot doublehulled wa‘a (canoes) to their new home in Hawai‘i. They navigated 2,300 miles of unpredictable seas by the winds, swells and stars—an arduous month-long voyage.

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N OLDEN TIMES, canoes were vital for life in Hawai‘i. In addition to long-distance transportation, the sturdy vessels were used for fishing, recreation, war and trade between the islands.

When Captain James Cook arrived in Kealakekua Bay on the island of Hawai‘i in January 1779, some 3,000 canoes were said to have surrounded his ships.

Skilled craftsmen called kahuna kālai wa‘a designed and shaped canoes and conducted the rituals performed at various stages of construction. Koa trees were preferred for canoe building because they were tall, strong and straight. When a promising tree was spotted in the forest, the kahuna kālai wa‘a watched for the ‘elepaio (a species of flycatcher) to appear. Believed to be the incarnation of Lea, goddess of canoe builders, the bird showed whether or not the tree was suitable for a canoe.

If the ‘elepaio pecked on the trunk, that indicated rot or insects were present, so another tree would have to be chosen. If it flitted beside the tree without pausing, that meant the wood was sound and would make a durable canoe. After the tree was felled, the kahuna kālai wa‘a did preliminary shaping of the log at that site to lighten it for hauling to the beach, where the work was completed.

Canoes measuring 20- to 60-plus feet in length could be built from a single tree. In his authoritative book The Hawaiian Canoe, author Tommy Holmes notes, “A canoe builder’s tool kit of adzes was as indispensable to him as medical instruments are to today’s surgeons… the quality of work (he) wrought with his adze was every bit as fine

EDITOR

Mark Berthold Corporate Communications CONTRIBUTORS

Damian Balinowski Corporate Communications

Art Parra Fuel Efficiency Kevin Yim Global Marketing Communications

as the surgeon’s.” The kahuna kālai wa‘a used 30 different types of adzes for his craft, each designated for a specific purpose (for example, hewing, hollowing, carving, shaving and finishing).

Over the past 40 years, Hōkūle‘a (Star of Gladness), the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s replica of a traditional Polynesian voyaging canoe, has played a key role in the revival of ancient canoe-building and wayfinding techniques. Hawaiian Airlines is a proud sponsor of her most ambitious journey to date—the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage, which began on May 30, 2014 and will end next month with her return to Hawai‘i. We are honored to have supported this historic endeavor with financial contributions, cargo and baggage services, and travel for crew, educators and students.

When her three-year journey is done, Hōkūle‘a will have sailed 40,300 nautical miles, visited 20 nations and stopped at 165 ports to mālama honua (care for Earth) by sharing Polynesian culture, promoting environmental awareness and fostering a global movement to create a more sustainable world.

The famed canoe’s June 17 homecoming will include a welcome ceremony at Magic Island on O‘ahu. Also open to the public are an educational fair and tours of Hōkūle‘a (June 18-20), a speaker series (June 19) and a benefit dinner to raise funds to support the mālama honua mission and to honor major supporters of the voyage, including HA (also on June 19). For details and updates, go to www.hokulea. com/home. ■

COVER

Celebrating Pualani on Lei Day

is published monthly by the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs department.

Between issues, get the latest news and information via HApeople.

Hoku Beltz Information Technology

Contributions, questions, comments and suggestions can be sent to corpcomm2@hawaiianair.com.

Kevin Imanaka Corporate Communications

Contribution deadline for the July issue: June 9, 2017.

Debbie Nakanelua-Richards Community Relations