Delta to fly nonstop from Atlanta to Honolulu

By Sean Hao
Advertiser Staff Writer

Delta Air Lines yesterday announced that it will begin daily nonstop service between Atlanta and Honolulu on Nov. 1.

November is a good time to initiate a new flight to Hawai'i, said state tourism liaison Marsha Wienert.

"What it does is really open up that marketplace in the winter months," she said. "I think it's going to be very beneficial to all of the islands."

Tourism officials are promoting the convenience of nonstop flights, especially from the East Coast and Midwest.

"The East Coast is pretty important to us because people from the East Coast have a tendency to spend a longer period of time here and they spend a few more bucks per day," said Rex Johnson, Hawai'i Tourism Authority executive director.

Johnson said the new Delta service was made possible because of a package of marketing and airport landing fee incentives put together with the aid of the Department of Transportation.

Delta said it is offering an introductory round-trip fare to Atlanta of $549, although restrictions apply.

The airline will fly a 285-seat Boeing 767 on the route.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly reported that a package of marketing and airport landing fee incentives was used to entice Delta Air Lines to start service between Cincinnati and Honolulu on Nov. 1. The incentives were used to get Delta to start nonstop service between Atlanta and Honolulu.