Aloha Airlines seeks slots at D.C. airport
By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer
Aloha Airlines yesterday filed a petition to expand its service beyond the western United States to fly from Honolulu to Washington, D.C.
If the U.S. Department of Transportation approves Aloha's application in June, Aloha's twice-a-day flights from Washington, D.C., to Orange County, Calif., to Honolulu would start in July and represent its farthest eastward expansion.
On the Mainland, Aloha currently flies only as far as Reno, Nev., and Phoenix.
Aloha's application to the Department of Transportation was one of nine from airlines looking at new opportunities to fly in and out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Yesterday was the deadline for airlines to apply for 12 available "slots" at Reagan airport to fly nonstop beyond a 1,250-mile radius.
Congress allowed the exemptions in November for Ronald Reagan, which was originally designed as a regional airport, said United Airlines spokesman Stephan Roth.
The Vision 100 Aviation Reauthorization Act has generated so much attention because it represents new opportunities for airlines to expand their markets, Roth said.
"It is really quite competitive," he said.
Aloha's application for two daily outbound and two daily inbound flights would take up four of the 12 available slots.
But Aloha President and Chief Executive Officer Glenn Zander hopes Aloha has an advantage because his is the only airline with an application that does not currently fly out of Reagan airport.
"We're the only true new entrant into the market, which is one of the primary criteria outlined by the DOT," Zander said.
The other airlines hoping for slots are AmericaWest, Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, United, US Airways and Primaris.
"It's an all-star cast," Zander said. "You could have a shorter list of those that didn't apply than those that did."
If Aloha gets its way, the first flight of the day would leave Reagan airport at 8 a.m. and arrive at Orange County's John Wayne Airport at 10:45 a.m. The flight to Honolulu would continue on at 11:40 a.m.
An evening flight would leave Reagan airport at 5:05 p.m. and arrive in Orange County at 7:50 p.m. It would continue on to Honolulu at 8:55 p.m.
American's application also would create new service from Reagan airport to Hawai'i, by way of Los Angeles.
Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8085.
