Even Hawaii-bound business class travelers are soon to find their premium experiences slip away. As Delta Air Lines leads this next charge, as it did with premium economy, other airlines flying to the islands are likely to follow. Once luxurious, all-inclusive travel to Hawaii may soon come with a new list of added fees.
Late stage capitalism at it’s finest.
With all due respect, I think this is being a little overly dramatic. For example, British airways even for business class has long not allowed you to pick your own seats, that’s a known fact. Delta’s impact to Hawaii is minimal, where the majority are coming from West Coast cities which doesn’t include Delta. And frankly, the level of revolt from those passengers will be substantial if Alaska monkeys with Hawaiians offerings.
Seems like this has already started. Our flight IND/PHX/LIH on American in the First class seating on a Airbus321Neo didn’t even offer lounge access for a 3.5 hr layover because we were going to LIH and not HNL. Makes no sense but there are less ways to get to LIH without stopping in HNL. Even this flight seems no longer one I can take as I look for a flight in April- now the flight layover of 25 minutes is the only one offered and likely not possible to make before they close the doors. As I’m looking to retire on Kauai we are making a few extra flights looking for a home to purchase that we can afford in Princeville.
This seems like a bit of hand wringing over ‘1st world problems’. There are plenty of people (myself included) who make due with traveling to Hawaii (or anywhere) in some version of economy just like BoH editors have on more than one occasion. The perks included with any level of premium cabin should not be confused as ‘basics’. Basics are a seat (not necessarily of your choosing), some luggage (maybe only a carry on and/or personal item), and perhaps some water or a hot beverage while in-flight. If airlines want to un-bundle, great! Maybe those of us stuck in the back of the bus will be able to afford a more comfortable seat. I’d love to have lounge access, but I can live without. If people choose to spend their money on more luxurious flight accommodations, that is their choice, but the whining about changes to how airlines sell or price those accommodations is bit too much to stomach.
I keep hearing of people stating free miles being used. Let me guess that airline credit card gives you free miles when signing up. Are they really free? Most airline credit cards charge about $100 yearly to keep the card active let alone the 28% interest rate on unpaid balances. Outside of that you have to travel so many miles to generate those extra miles. How much money does it take to accumulate 50,000 miles for that free one way ticket? 10 trips to Hawaii at 700rt. So you spend 7000 dollars to get a one way $350 fare for free. Total discount after spending 7000 dollars is 5%. OH remember the $100 annual fee you paid per year just to keep the card active. Think again.
It’s abundantly clear that you don’t know how to play the miles game 😅😅
Sorry not counting the dollar spent one mile earned if card used for store purchases so it would still amount to spending 50,000 dollars to aquire a free coach round trip ticket. I’m not speaking of corporate owned credit cards where business employees aquire huge miles for business trips. Never the less the flight is never free. I think the upgrades are 25,000 miles to upgrade from coach. The airlines still bank on the interest on unpaid balances. The game must be to use a airline credit card to pay off a non airline bank card just to get free miles. I didn’t want to mention all the senerios in my posting.
Also get Companion Fare on Alaska that alone covers more than the $100. Miles add up on money that will be spent anyway. We used miles for Biz class to Europe. We got $4000 biz class for $650 using miles. Cash back gets squandered or Biz class tickets would still feel pricey whereas miles seem free so we got to enjoy the Biz class experience. Switching cards gather bonus miles for signing up. Can’t take your money with you. I prefer photos of my spouse and me enjoying time together.
Upgrades are usually airline employees
Any airline that does this will forever lose my business. I fly business to avoid the nickel and diming.
A large % of the business and first class seats in this market are purchased using frequent flyer miles. Unused miles are treated as a liability on the airline’s books so they price HI flights attractively to encourage passengers to use miles. So no $ changes hands. So the airline tries to reduce the direct cost each Miles-purchased occupied seat uses up. This is completely different from the “good old days” when airlines competed on amenities in this market. Passengers paying money for these seats get the same “service”.
Business and First class seats on long-haul flights to destinations that are not primarily vacation destinations are usually paid for in $ so there is more revenue available to pay for better meals etc. So these flights still compete on amenities.
If HA had a robust business economy instead of 99% leisure-only travel it too would probably have amenity-rich service in all classes.
This is a joke right. The airlines have not had a decent first class offering to Hawaii in decades. It has always been identical to the domestic first just a longer flight. Delta has been using a business class light product for as long as I have flown them to Hawaii which is decades. Old 757 planes. Sub par food. Horrible service
As a seasoned traveller, I’d have to warn all of you when booking those so called “basic flights” at a “lower price”, be sure to check the Total cost of every level before deciding which category you will fly. With the basic cost and then being charged for a seat on every flight and your luggage fees often add up to the same as premium economy. Believe me this is sneaky on the airlines part, No different from politics, but you need to do the research. I help Many folks on what a best flight price is. Cuz I trust no one anymore. Do the research before making a desicion because most time the basic flight price is a joke on you when you add it all up
Thanks always for great articles. Flying is no longer fun, or something that you look forward to because the airlines no longer focus on the customer experience, and the joy of loyalty to a particular airline but rather the bottom line. This has nothing to do with competition with low cost carriers- that’s a lie! The airlines have had record numbers of passengers and been making profits. People choose mainline carriers because they are looking for loyalty benefits, perks, or to use air miles. Ironically, they want the travelers loyalty but it’s not reciprocal.
Unfortunately, the only way this stops is if passengers let those seats go empty, even giving up the business class seat and rough it to sit in coach. That loss of revenue for the airlines would be a clear message.
My next trip to Hawaii I will tough it and hope others do the same. It’s then they have empty seats which translates into loss revenue.
The seat, and the improved ability to sleep, are key for us. The food and checked bags are respectively poor value and unused by us. So maybe a better deal for some. I can bring my own grindz, and betta too! Carry-on only.
With interest in travel to Hawaii decreasing, making it even less appealing seems like shooting one’s self in the foot. Hawaii can’t get much right these days.
Corporate greed has no limits.
Once again, the bean counters are at the controls.
Well, if they start to ‘down grade’ the business class and, as they say, virtually charge for the air you breathe, Premium Economy might just turn out to be the better, and tolerable deal. Sounds like the airlines might be thinking that airlines like Frontier and Spirit have the right idea, showing a low price for a flight, then charging for checked bags, carry-ons, a cold drink, etc.. Makes me wish for the ‘good ol’ days’ of regular seats, descent food, and Service! Watch some of the old movies from the 50s to the 70s, that include airline flight to see what I’m referring to. That kind of flying is long gone.
So you guys actually believe that there is literally Anything that the airlines can do to passengers that will tarnish Hawaii’s reputation More than what the state’s leadership at all levels has already done!!?? How do you come up with this stuff after everything else that you have reported on already!?
I feel negative about how airlines continue to squeeze passengers, worst of all by making seats smaller, with increasing incidents of air rage. As for “unbundling,” I once experienced a laughably bad configuration in Business on a British Airways flight, which even the flight attendant thought was a bad joke. A plastic panel was raised and lowered between two seats that faced each other, lowered for drinks and food delivery, with the attendant having to lean over me. My fellow passenger, who faced me, had no privacy, nor did I. I vowed not to fly with such a seat configuration again. The accountants made a serious error in that case. If that’s in store for Hawaiian Air, I’ll use another carrier.
I’ve run into a similar configuration with British Air, where to increase seating capacity, they do the one face forward, one face aft on each side of the aircraft, and when in sleeping configuration, you have to climb over the other person to get to the isle, hoping you don’t kick them in the process and wake them up! And this was years ago. I’ve always liked BA to fly to Europe, how they don’t let there service go in the tank, raising the price of flying in the process. Good luck on that!
BA has already started changing those seats and configuration.
Personally, I have flown Club World and those seats did not bother me or the flight attendant, or the aisle seat passenger.
I would recommend taking window seat for you get more storage.
We flew home to the west coast from Europe on BA configuration. Way better than coach but not as good as all forward seating on Condor to Frankfurt. We used miles. You have to spend alot of time looking for award flights. Hope that stays the same because business class was fantastic.
West coast to Hawaii in coach is fine for only 5.5 hrs.
Aloha – I’ve been traveling to Hawaii for over 50 years and in old days we would travel first-class on United’s 747 and the meal was served on sterling silver and white china. The flight attendant would roll out a cart with a fresh roasted prime rib and would asked what cut you would like. The skylounge above was open with a full bar and you dance and listen to music. So the down grade of first class and service in general has been going down on for decades on US based airlines. It’s those accountants that become CEO’s of company’s like Boeing slowly sucking the life out of there brands that eventually become junk, like Boeing.
Travelled from Anchorage to Waikiki Beach on Hawaii Air in the late 80’s. It was a great experience arriving at the old airport. Returned with Hawaii Air a couple of weeks later. The 747 was definitely old. All the signs where in Spanish. Food etc was great and the whole row to sleep. Last year flew CP Dream liner in the front section and sleeping area was great. I’m willing to pay the best for flats and hotels.
Except the fact Hawaiian has never flown the 747.
It seems as though airlines are trying their best to make air travel even less enjoyable than it has become now. Prices go higher, quality of experience goes lower.
Yes, they are taking their cue from the gasoline industry. They no longer have mechanics at their stations to fix problems, they don’t clean your windshield and check the oil level, water and tire pressure, you pump your own gas, and but they do charge a buck of money for their fuels. Sound familiar?