By Michele Kayal
Advertiser Staff Writer
Aloha Airlines will begin service to California's John Wayne airport in May, opening a direct line to one of Hawaii's favorite vacation destinations, Disneyland.
The airline said yesterday it would launch daily service between Honolulu and the Orange County airport beginning May 1. That flight will continue to Las Vegas. A month later, on June 1, service will start between Kahului, Maui, and John Wayne. There are no immediate plans to extend that flight to Las Vegas, spokeswoman Julie King said.
"For people in Hawai‘i, Disneyland is the second-most-popular destination behind Las Vegas," King said. "And Disney’s a 20-minute drive from the Orange County airport."
Orange County becomes the third Mainland destination to join Aloha’s expanding roster in just over a year. The carrier flew strictly interisland routes until launching Oakland, Calif., service last February from Honolulu and Maui. It added Las Vegas last week, and earlier this month announced it would begin Kona-Oakland service in April, the only carrier to fly that route. It has focused on secondary airports in large population centers.
Aloha also announced recently it would add Kwajalein in April.
Aloha’s other candidates for Los Angeles-area service were Burbank, Ontario and Long Beach, King said.
The new routes have been accompanied by a growing staff and a growing fleet. Since November, the airline has added 56 pilots and 80 flight attendants to accommodate the new Mainland and Pacific routes. Aloha has 250 pilots and 310 flight attendants.
By May, Aloha will have taken delivery of three more Boeing 737-700 jets to operate the flights, bringing its total 737-700 fleet to five.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved Aloha’s plans to serve John Wayne Feb. 6, airport spokeswoman Ann McCarley said. Leases are being prepared, she said, and they must also be approved by the board.
Michele Kayal can be reached by phone at 525-8024, or by e-mail, mkayal@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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