The Tempe, Arizona-based airline already has begun training crews and is awaiting approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to make the flights, America West spokesman Carlo Bertolini said in an interview today.

"We think it's pretty much a natural fit to our existing network," Bertolini said. "We've established a reputation as a leading carrier to some of the best beaches in Mexico, and that association with passengers would make Hawai'i an attractive fit for us."

America West began planning for the Hawai'i flights before its proposed merger with US Airways and expects to begin them whether or not the combination occurs, he said. The carrier hasn't devised a schedule yet. Flights would probably include departures from its largest cities, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

The FAA must give America West authority to fly more than 50 miles offshore and exempt it from a requirement that its planes stay within 60 minutes of suitable airports, Bertolini said. To gain those approvals, the carrier must install certain safety and communication equipment on its Boeing Co. 757s and train crews to operate the new devices.

Bertolini declined to say how much equipping the planes and training workers would cost.

America West, the eighth-largest U.S. airline, and No. 7 US Airways agreed May 19 to merge with $1.5 billion in funding from new investors, vendors and others.