Southwest Hawaii. How’s it going now? “The other airlines can’t touch you… Predatory and opportunistic—which we like.” — SW and SWAPO
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160 thoughts on “Go Big and Predatory: Southwest Hawaii And Costco”
Southwest Hawaii. How’s it going now? “The other airlines can’t touch you… Predatory and opportunistic—which we like.” — SW and SWAPO
I like how it’s predatory when sw and Costco come in but not predatory when the consumer is getting gouged and ripped off. Just because something has the word hawaiian on it doesn’t mean it is there to be your friend. If anything they’ll take advantage of you. Have you seen the Hawaiian airline prices? $170 one way to move to a slightly bigger seat? Charge for luggage and the original prices is twice that of sw. without Costco half the island couldn’t survive. The Costco at dole is the busiest Costco in the world. And has only a million people on island. If Costco wasn’t around to keep prices in check half the population would need to move.
I thank God Costco , Wal-Mart and Southwest came to Hawaii Nei ! If not, we would still be at the Mercy of Hawaiian Airlines having a Monopoly here ! Southwest levelled the Playing Field !
Remember when aloha airlines did not get the same support that hawaiian air did?
Remember when aloha airlines closed then hawaiian airlines and united airlines began gouging hawaii and its people?
If you did, let me remind you!!!!!
Thank god for competition.
Support competition, please remember your hawaiian history and be on the right side of history.
I remember the evening my husband and I took the last Aloha flight from OGG to HNL. The last. Remember flight coupons?😃Im not sure Aloha didn’t get support though. HA started flights to the West Coast and that may have put Aloha on the back foot. Aloha needed to upgrade their fleet, I think they just ran out of financing options.
Amen and well said. Also, Aloha could have been saved for $ 35 Million, and they couldn’t get a Loan to help them. It put a Lot of Great employees out of work !
I’m not convinced that Costco is gouging. Their current gas prices in Kahului are cheaper than at Costco in Los Angeles. Per Gas Buddy, it looks like Kahului gas stations have lowered their prices to stay in the ballpark of Costco.
Lots of the prices in-store are similar to Los Angeles Costco prices, too, and often better than local Maui competitors like Target or Walmart.
Hawaiian is out of touch. $160 for a slightly better seat is ridiculous plus add bag fees can be $500 for two one way !!!!!! That’s not including the price of a ticket !!!! Or I can go southwest and pay none of that. Not saying Hawaiian needs to be what swa is but they are pricing themselves out. But it’s the typical us company vision of short term.
With the HWA and SWA competition going strategically in favor of SWA, people must realize that HWA could have been rewarding flyers all of this time with lower pricing, just nowhere near what they’re charging now. This will be determined by Who “Blinks” First with the winner claiming the prize position. The Low Fares will be gone but the winner is in a tough spot, customer service and satisfaction Need to be kept up! Over time they both will refill their war chests full of money, this may not be a “One and Done” War!
HA has too many fleet types, too little money in the bank and limited scale. That’s why they operate at a loss. SW is not predatory. HA is with their monopoly pricing wherever SW does not compete. The HA price match is called the SW effect. SW has 1 fleet, Billions in the bank and an efficient operation. If it’s predatory, it’s because the prey is weak and incompetent. If HA loses this battle, it’s management’s fault.
Fair statements. But small businesses are always at risk against larger businesses. Some level of protection should exist. (I.E. no big box superstore in the islands). Local can and do compete, but if Amazon and Walmart sold particular products at a loss for an extended period of time literally until they crushed a competitor out of existence. I think crying foul is fair. In the end, You’ll get a SWA monopoly that will either charge monopoly market rates or will subsidize the locals existence by taxing customers of other routes (as they are doing now). You decide what is more likely.
The non-predatory way to go about pricing the airfares should have been for them to charge what it would cost for them to make a slight profit and if their business model prevailed, then great! In my opinion, the predatory plan is to be the only inter-island carrier. Then they could acquire all the very scarce airport space statewide and charge whatever they want.
Well stated, Liam! We’ve been visiting the islands since the 90’s and remember when there was no Costco. And Walmart wasn’t all that great back then. Let’s face it, having Costco has made for big changes. It’s amusing watching the “local food” trucks stock up at Costco first thing in the morning.
Before SWA showed, didn’t Hawaiian have a monopoly?
They were the only major inter-island carrier since Aloha folded, I believe, but many airlines fly between the Islands and California and other places.
I’ve flown American and Alaska for years. So, no.
I was referring to the inter-island monopoly.
They only held a monopoly for about 18 months. Did you support Island Air? If more did, it would still be here.
I totally agree with you! There’s a problem at HWA, are they too top heavy? The Money is going somewhere. A Solid Restructuring Plan may be a part of the Answer but will they be willing to do it? SWA may have Billions to “Invest” and if They Do, why doesn’t HWA? I don’t want to hear about HWA being generous, they write profits down like everyone else. There may be some Tough Times coming for HWA very soon. Stay Tuned to BOH, they do an Amazing Job!
Hi Ernie.
Thank you for saying that! And more than 400 comments.
Aloha.
Agreed Chris, monopolistic greed
Hawaiian has 3 aircraft types, each serving these different markets:
A330 long haul including international and domestic markets
A321 NEO Intermediate haul domestic Hawaii-west coast shared with A330 aircraft
B717 interisland short-range aircraft
Aloha,
Liam
HNL
Hey someone who know’s how business works.
Chris nailed it.
What is going on with the Hawaii ferry boats
Ferries don’t work. SuperFerry ran the largest of the ferries. The rough surf slowed them in the crossing to the point they damaged engines and increased ship maintenance costs.
Is there any resort that does not charge a resort fee??
Kahala and Halekulani. The Kahala used to not charge parking either but I think now it’s $40. I used to stay there because it’s a great hotel but by the time you broke down the fees at say a hilton the price was basically the same.
These fees just keep coming, increasing at a drop of a hat. Even those not really budget conscious are beginning to question the validity. With the Predatory Nature of these Businesses they Expect Customer Feedback but know that it will typically be brief and then go away. Parking fees can sometimes be minimalized by a short walk, 1/4 of the price is worth it. They are Recouping losses too quickly and they know that the choices are Nil, they all charge about the same. Their Aloha Spirit is a Ghost Named Ebenezer Scrooge!
I’m not so sure there is, which is (one of the reasons) why I rent condos when I visit the islands.
My concerned question is centered around a February Court Date and just how long will you be able to, unless you rent for at least 90 days. Will you invest in a Timeshare if the law stays in place, or rent a hotel room for your stay? Miraculously all of those are Exempt from the New Law. I’m hopeful that the Judge sees through all of the shady Laws and sends the Council Members Packing. The next objective, if this is successful, should be seeking relief from the Overburdened Taxes and Fees, they’re more than what Resorts and Hotels Pay!
I have a “resort” rule.
A hotel may call itself a resort or even “the greatest resort in the world” but it is not a resort unless it has these features, on site:
…a large enough gym to eliminate waits most of the typical exercise times (no I don’t use a hotel gym more than once a week or so)
…a large swimming pool (I was on my h/s swim team. But due to a specific surgery, I no longer go in the water, pool, lake or ocean)
…a golf course (if land is in short supply, then 2 or 3 hotels may share a golf course – I have not played golf in 15 years, first because of a move and 2nd, due to the surgery mentioned above)
So, things I want to do, but can’t. Still, without the above, it may be a hotel, but it’s not a resort. And, no resort fee!!
Sounds very Predatory the way you describe it, many Good Websites attempting to make a Sale will see your traffic and Lower the prices or cut a certain percentage off to get the customer. If this is what Hawaiian does, They seem to be playing Follow the Leadership in the State of Hawaii! Another Great Reason to Stay Away from Hawaiian Airlines. I guess it’s Easier to give a little bit back to Hawaii when You’re Trolling the Customers out of Extra Dollars like this.
Kahala and halekulani
Halekulani is still the best Resort on Oahu, red carpet treatment from the time you arrive until you leave ! The Kahala now charges for Parking. Also, the staff seem very mercenary .