8This has been a busy week for Hawaii airlines, and it isn’t over yet. It started with a flight diversion on Monday, and another one on Tuesday over a blanket, both of which were on Hawaiian Airlines. That was followed by the announcement of a new route just yesterday morning on Alaska Airlines’ Virgin America.
Diversion 1: Circling for hours on-board Hawaiian Airlines flight 43 from San Jose to Honolulu.
A Boeing 767 had problems before the flight even started, which resulted in an initial delay of about two hours. But that was just the beginning of it. Once in the air, the same generator that had caused the original problem failed again, requiring the flight to return to San Jose. The issue here was that it took nearly 4 hours of circling over the Pacific for the flight to burn fuel and be ready to land back at its point of origin. We understand that none of the passengers made it to Hawaii on Monday, but started their trip once again on Tuesday. It was also reported that the plane in question subsequently returned to Boeing for repairs.
Diversion 2: Blanket dispute with passenger causes Hawaiian Airlines flight to return. What’s your take?
On Tuesday, Hawaiian Airlines had another flight diversion which you may have heard of, this time as a result of a dispute with a passenger. It occurred on the flight from Las Vegas to Honolulu. A passenger complained about being cold and asked for a blanket. The 66 year old man was apparently told the cost of the blanket was $12. The passenger then made a statement about taking “somebody behind the woodshed over this,” which resulted in the flight attendant contacting the pilot. The plane was then directed to LAX where FBI met the plane. Yes, this really happened. The passenger was subsequently released as it was determined no crime had been committed and there was no credible threat to the flight. The flight continued uneventfully to Honolulu, minus the one passenger.
Passengers on-board the plane were said to have varying reactions to the situation. Should Hawaiian have offered the blanket for free to the cold passenger? We carry our own travel blankets to help avoid issues.
New flight to Kona: Alaska Airlines’ Virgin America brand announced a new route this week to the Big Island.
The company, which was acquired by Alaska formally in December, will begin flights between San Francisco and Kona starting December 14. The flight uses Virgin’s A320 aircraft and departs SFO at 11 am, arriving Kona at 230 pm.
The route indicates that Alaska is serious about competing with United Airlines out of SFO. United also recently announced new service between Denver and Kona, which is great for Big Island visitors and residents. Kona will also benefit from new flights this year from Bellingham, Dallas, Seattle and Tokyo.
I have been on Hawaiian flight when it is so cold that I just sat and shivered because I didn’t want to pay for the blanket. Do they keep it that cold so that more blankets are purchased? Yesterday flew in from San Diego to Kona on an Alaskan Airlines flight and some of the passengers in the back were cold and the flight attendant went up to the cockpit and asked to have the cabin temperature warmed and it was. Does Hawaiian not take in to consideration their passengers feelings?
Also I will be so glad when another airline seriously takes on Hawaiian in their inner island flights!!! I am so tired of paying Hawaiian huge amounts of money for a 20 to 40 minute flight and then double that when there is not a direct flight between the two islands and a change has to be made in Honolulu.
We live on the Hilo side of the island but we fly into Kona because we can get direct flights and it is then just cheaper to rent a car for the one way drive to Hilo (plus we can stop at Costco) than using Hawaiian to fly from the mainland to Hilo.
Regarding the 66 year old gentleman who made the remark about the wood shed to a flight attendant, I would say the flight attendant should have been the one left off the flight back to Hawaii. Power plays like this on the part of employees remind us all that we have to look out for employees who don’t realize they are there to serve the public. That said, what IS Hawaiian’s policy? If there is not one for the attendant to quote, why not? Standard Procedure is there to protect both passengers and employees. Thanks for the heads up that what you think is a joke or a benign comment may not be and that you can never depend on how “friendly” are the “Hawaiian friendly skies”.
Hi, would you be so kind as to share with me when the rates are lowest and best time to buy tickets from LAX to Honolulu? I plan to travel around May 4th and returning around May 18th. I also want to buy an additional 1 way ticket leaving when I do. Thanks much.
Hi Carol.
Cheapest price we are seeing in that market is about $500. But right now your dates aren’t on sale and they’re closer to $600. There is likely to be another chance at the lower fare.
Aloha.
Wow I just read the issue about the Blanket. I can’t believe y’all
charge $12 for a Blanket! Come on y’all found the comment about the old fella taking someone behind a woodshed seriously!
The fella is 66 years old and probably found your charge of $12 for a Blanket a bit obsurd- your airlines sounds like you’re nickel and diming passengers. Sounds like flight attendant and pilot found this to threatening but sounds like good judgment was not used. A little common sense and a free use of a Blanket would have avoided all this nonsense. What an inconvenience for your passengers. I’ll have to remember this when I choose an airlines when I fly to Hawaii. Better just bring my own blanket.
I think a cultural misunderstanding led to a gross over reaction by HAL. ‘Takinrg someone behind the woodshed’, is a southernism for correcting someone, uasually verbally, seldom a physical threat. If the story was reported accuratly, the passenger was stating that he’d like to have a serious discussion with whomever initiated the charge, and was in no way a threat.
The over reaction cost HAL a bunch.