Beat of Hawaii and Beyond: Travel Deals, Tips, Events, Culture

If you’re like me, you expected the Hawaii off-season airfare deals, be they great or mediocre, to start showing up in the past two weeks. Traditionally they are announced after July 1, for travel beginning August 15. So far I’ve seen very little. What gives?

In today’s fare postings, I saw a glimmer of hope from Northwest Airlines:

LAX-HNL $490 RT (all-inclusive), for mid-week, non-holiday departures starting this Fall through early June 2009 (then again for Fall 2009).

While this isn’t by itself what we’d consider to be a great deal, it does undercut the competitors by as much as $200. It could be more significant however, if it marks the beginning of the airlines getting real.

Here’s the bottom line:

• Airlines are hesitant to start the Fall fare sale due to the cost of fuel.
• In this double-edged airline sword, carriers will be forced to either cut prices or cut flights.
• Airlines are reluctant to give up market share in this once and potentially again lucrative island market.

What you should expect:

• There will be Fall airfare sales, and this week may still be the key time for them. If the deals do not materialize, there will be an abundance of unsold seats. Travelers are not willing to pay $600+ to come to Hawaii in the off-season from all important West Coast cities.
• The upcoming sales, if and when they come, will be far more last minute and fleeting than ever before. You’ll need to keep your eyes peeled, as these could come and go in one to two days.

We’ll do our best to alert you as the deals come. Stay tuned.

Geo-targeted advertising on print-at-home boarding passes has started. Why didn’t I think of this first?

A new company recently funded with $20 Million, has signed deals with multiple airlines for ads that will be specific to where we are flying to.

According to Venture Beat, Sojern’s ads started appearing today on Delta. The other airlines that have signed thus far include:

• Continental
• Northwest
• United
• US Airways

Here’s Sojern’s demo. According to their video, the airlines want to make each trip more enjoyable for us with these ads. That really touched me.

I think if the ads are being printed on my paper and using my ink, I should have a choice of whether or not I want them. What’s your feeling?

The airline industry may lose as much as $6.1 billion this year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). I was thinking about the likely impact this has on Airbus and Boeing, and looked at each company’s recent comments thereon.

From my seat, it looks as though we’re going to be traveling on older planes for the foreseeable future.

Airlines are teetering on the verge of bankruptcy due to current and speculated future fuel costs. Given that, it isn’t likely that most of them will have access to the credit needed to acquire new and more fuel-efficient planes. Orders will likely be canceled or delayed.

Airbus.

The company indicated yesterday that as many as one-third of its airplane orders may be at risk due to the economic woes facing the airline industry. They have a record 3,663 plane backlog, worth an estimated $557 billion! Airbus is moving quickly to reduce costs and improve affordability. Last month they announced that they will begin assembling A320’s in Tianjin, China.

Boeing.

Boeing is, at least for the time being, taking a contrary and optimistic view. Their CEO, James McNerney, indicated this weekend that he believes soaring oil prices will speed up orders for more fuel efficient airplanes.

How does one company put a positive spin on the situation and the other a doomsday prediction?

I think Boeing just doesn’t get it and continues to believe that their orders are not at risk. They are also hoping to help the airlines in buying their new planes, via Boeing’s financial services company.

Chinese Competition.

China is committed to building commercial aircraft by 2020. They will be built by Shanghai-based Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China.

Originally it was thought that their first planes would be in the 737/A320 replacement size. They recently announced, however, it would carry more than 150 passengers, which would be more of a 757/A310 replacement.

Conclusion.

I expect to see Airbus predictions of cancellations and postponements to start coming to fruition for them and for Boeing in the very near future.

For the time being, we may well be riding in older and less fuel-efficient fleets. In the long run, don’t be surprised to be flying in planes either wholly made or assembled in China.

1.  Hawaiian Airlines: On-Time?  In May, Hawaiian had an 89% on-time arrival rate.  The highest of 19 domestic airlines.

That is not meaningful however, and here’s why.  Hawaiian has the majority of its flights operating inter-island, and within approximately 100 miles from its hub in Honolulu.  Add to that the lack of weather issues, and it is easy to see that these statistics aren’t helpful.  They do not look separately at Hawaiian’s mainland operations, which likely operate at a much lower on-time arrival rate.

2. American and United Airlines: Late.

AA had the worst May arrival rate, with one third of its flights arriving late. United Airlines was next worst, with a 72% on-time arrival rate, followed by Continental at 75%.

3.  U.S. Airways: Discontent passengers.  US just announced that it will be removing its in-flight entertainment systems (initially) for mainland, Mexico and Carribean flights.  Hawaii flights will likely join.  Don’t look to find a plane-full of happy customers here.

4.  Northwest: Joins the 1st bag fee club today.  That leaves Delta and Continental as the only majors not charging.  Look for that to change soon.

I was pleased to see the following offer in today’s Smarter Travel newsletter.  As you know, Smarter Travel is an Expedia site.

The offer terms stated book by July 4, for travel through August 15, between Seattle and Maui on Hawaiian Airlines.

My enthusiasm, however, waned completely after checking both Hawaiian’s website and Travelocity’s flexible date search.  That fare is not available and likely has not been available for some time.

The cheapest available fare on Hawaiian I was able to find during the offer period is $338 each way, plus tax, or about $700, all-inclusive.  A far fry from $436.

As I’ve mentioned before, the way airfare offers come and go so quickly, it isn’t possible to put together a newsletter, with all the time that takes, and expect the deals to still be there by the time it is published. Apparently that is true, even for mega-travel conglomerate Expedia.

A strangely similar incident occurred this month, which landed directly on the heals of a February 13 event here in Hawaii.  In February, two Go! pilots fell asleep and overshot Hilo airport.

Times of India reported that on June 4, an Air India flight overshot its destination by 359 miles on a flight from Jaipur to Mumbai.  The pilots fell asleep shortly after takeoff, and were luckily awakened by air traffic control.  At the time, the plane with its 100 passengers, was still at cruising altitude, heading off-course towards Goa.

Air India is denying the event took place.  Go! initially declined comment about the event.  Later however, it fired both pilots.

Both Go and Air India pilots have complained about exhausting schedules and staff shortages. At Go!, last year alone, nearly one-half of its pilots quit.

Perhaps this is just an odd coincidence, but it certainly raises questions.