honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Hawaiian, go! pick up Aloha riders

By Rick Daysog
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaiian Airlines and go! reported strong passenger numbers in June as both carriers continue to benefit from the shutdown of Aloha Airlines.

Hawaiian, the state's largest carrier, said its interisland and transpacific passenger count increased by 78,000 customers, or 12.6 percent from the year-earlier period.

go! said it flew 22,000 more passengers last month, which represents a 34.5 percent increase from the year-earlier period.

Both Hawaiian and go! expanded their interisland flight services in wake of the March 31 closing of Aloha, which was the state's second largest carrier.

Hawaiian also added flights on its transpacific routes due to the demise of Aloha and ATA Airlines, which shutdown several days after Aloha's closure.

For June, Hawaiian said it flew a total of 694,348 passengers on its transpacific and interisland service, which was up from the year-earlier's 616,419.

Hawaiian said its aircraft flew 81.5 percent full last month, which was down from the year-earlier's 87 percent load factor.

go!, which is owned by Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group, said it flew a total of 86,021 people last month compared to 63,965 in June 2007.

go! reported a load factor of 68.7 percent last month, which was down from the year-earlier's 72.1 percent.

The higher passenger counts come as both airlines have increased prices several times during past past year as fuel prices soared. Interisland ticket prices now start at $64 each way, which is up from the $39 fares offered during the two-year fare war.

Reach Rick Daysog at rdaysog@honoluluadvertiser.com.