Aloha Airlines says goodbye

Posted Apr 18, 2008 @ 10:54 pm, Viewed by 767 Visitors, Read 803 Times.

Aloha Airlines closes

Aloha Airlines flew Hawaii's skies for 64 years Hawaiian Airlines survives the fare war
go! airlines is the most recent entry in Hawaii's interisland air travel market Mahalo Airlines is one of many companies that came and went.
Mid Pacific Airlines was the low priced carrier in the 1980's.  Island Air flies between the islands with turboprops.

 

There was little notice on the closing of Aloha Airlines.  March 21, 2008 Aloha Airlines announced it had enough cash to operate for ten more days and it was filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.   The company was also looking for potential buyers.  For about a week there was nothing in the newspapers or on tv news about Aloha Airlines.  Suddenly on Sunday, March 30th Aloha announced that March 31st would be their final day of business.
 
How could this have happened?  We just didn't think the March 21st announcement was that serious.  After all, Aloha had already been through Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2004 and emerged from it in 2006.   The company had been around so long that we just didn't think it could disappear.  Apparently Aloha's employees didn't think it would happen either.  A long time friend was a captain at Aloha Airlines for over 20 years and he says all the employees were in shock on March 30th.
 
Many people blame the closing of Aloha Airlines on go! airlines, a subsidary of Mesa Airlines.  When go! entered the Hawaii market a couple of years ago, they offered discount fares ($1 one way, for example) that Aloha and Hawaiian Airlines had to compete with.   Others blame Aloha Airlines' management and say the company would have shut down sooner or later.
Aloha Airlines had its Alohapass miles program good for free flights to neighbor islands and the mainland.  When the company went belly-up, customers lost their benefits available through Alohapass. 

 

Hawaii's Airlines (reference the photos above)

1) Aloha Airlines closed on March 31, 2008 after operating for 64 years.

2) Hawaiian Airlines has been around since 1929 and remains a part of Hawaii's flying options.

3) go! Airlines is entered the market in 2006. 

4) Mahalo Airlines was in competition with Aloha and Hawaiian Airlines in the 1990's.  Eventually Mahalo Airlines shut down.

5) Mid Pacific Airlines was my carrier of choice in the '80's. As a poor college student I used to fly between Hilo and Honolulu on "Mid Pac".  At that time, they were the lowest priced carrier and they flew turboprop planes. 

6) Island Air used to be a subsidiary of Aloha Airlines.  It was sold off to another owner and continues operating today.

There were other airlines that came and went, such as Discovery Air, back in the late '80's - early '90's.

If you're planning to travel to and from Hawaii or in between the islands, we are in a state of transition and getting a flight may be more difficult and expensive than usual.  Please book your flights in advance to ensure getting to your destination.

Visit our website for information about Hawaii real estate.

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mikey

mikey Mike Bates is a realtor associate on the island of Oahu. He's lived on Oahu, Maui, Molokai and the Big Island for 28 years and is here to share his knowledge of the Hawaiian Islands with you. Read More

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