As Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines move closer to becoming one combined operation, executives keep saying the Hawaiian name will stay. But what’s unfolding in the air and behind the scenes tells a more complicated story. With an international route already announced under the Alaska name, and growing signs of deeper integration, the real question may be how long Hawaiian will still feel like Hawaiian.
We first noted a shift in strategy, among other things, when the inaugural Seattle to Rome Dreamliner service was revealed to be operated using a Hawaiian aircraft, but under the Alaska name. Since then, more signs point to a broader rebranding in motion, despite near-constant public assurances to the contrary.
Travelers still have a deep connection to the Hawaiian brand.
For countless Hawaii visitors, Hawaiian Airlines is an integral part of the experience. From the Pualani on the tail to the island music during boarding, the airline delivers a sensory transition that starts before the plane even leaves the gate. It starts the moment that you see the aircraft. That identity is more than symbolic. It’s also been a tremendous business asset, even if it was arguably mismanaged.
In our review of loyalty program updates, we noted Hawaiian’s strong ability to command a price premium on routes between the mainland and the islands. Reader comments have often reinforced that. Some have said they were willing to pay more for Hawaiian simply because it felt like the vacation started sooner. Others described the airline as the last brand that still “feels like Hawaii” in the air.
That’s a meaningful difference. It also explains why many travelers are concerned that the branding won’t survive Alaska’s eventual system integration. A comment we received on a recent article said it plainly: “We used to fly Hawaiian every time. It just felt right. If they strip that away, we’re not loyal anymore.”
Seattle to Rome, and the shift that follows.
The announcement that Alaska will operate a new Dreamliner route from Seattle to Rome using a Hawaiian aircraft marked a noticeable shift. Hawaiian executives had said the brand would remain on anything touching Hawaii, but this route doesn’t. It’s the first scheduled flight where a Hawaiian 787 will fly long-haul under the Alaska name, with no operational tie to the islands. That’s different from Dreamliner flights between Seattle and Tokyo or Seoul, which are operated by Hawaiian and still connect to its island-based aircraft network. Hawaiian’s Dreamliner base in Honolulu is said to be capped at five aircraft, while Alaska is now preparing a larger base in Seattle to support its fast-expanding global ambitions.
The situation becomes even more pointed when you consider Alaska’s plans for its Dreamliner interiors and exteriors. Hawaiian’s jets arrived with a unique island-style design, but Alaska reportedly plans future deliveries in its own livery, along with a completely different interior configuration that includes true premium economy. If both the inside and outside are changing, how long before the rest of Hawaiian’s identity goes with them?
Livery, loyalty, and the branding question.
After the four Hawaiian 787s that have been delivered so far and the fifth one that is forthcoming, the airline’s next deliveries are widely expected to take a different form.
If the sixth aircraft arrives in Alaska livery, or even without the traditional blessing and naming ceremony Hawaiian is known for, it could mark another turning point. Countless readers have already started asking if their long-favorite airline is being erased in slow motion.
In response to our coverage, one reader wrote: “I boarded that 787 in March and thought, this might be the last time I ever see this airline as I remember it. Alaska will take over everything eventually.”
That view is becoming more common as longtime Hawaiian flyers see their airline slowly rebranding, one route at a time.
Airline industry history suggests one name usually wins.
Across the industry, very few dual-brand strategies of any kind survive for long. Virgin America disappeared quickly after being acquired by Alaska in 2016. United retired Ted, a brand extension it tried from 2004-2008. Delta shut down it’s own Song after three years in 2006. And on and on. And while regional operations, such as American Eagle or United Express do still exist, they are brand extensions rather than competitive brands.
Hawaiian is different. It’s a full-service airline with nearly a century of independent history, a dedicated interisland network, and a clear emotional link to its home state and Hawaii travel. That gives it more staying power. But it also means Alaska must decide how long it’s willing to operate two brands that offer overlapping services and could compete for internal resources.
Alaska said it would keep the Hawaiian brand on flights touching Hawaii, but gave no long-term guarantee. DOT route and service protections last six years, leaving room for Hawaiian’s identity to be defined over time.
In our earlier report on Seattle’s rise and Hawaii’s uncertainty, we examined how Seattle’s growth under Alaska is now running parallel to a perceived decline in Hawaii’s aviation identity. That tension is likely to continue as more Dreamliners shift to European or Asian service, bypassing Hawaii altogether.
Pricing pressure and softening demand.
One reason Alaska may push away from a dual-brand model is Hawaii’s current travel environment. Summer 2025 visitor numbers are modestly down. Flights are flying with more empty seats. Yet hotel rates are still high enough to deter value-conscious travelers.
This could prompt a shift in Alaska’s aircraft deployment. If Hawaii routes can’t support Dreamliner widebodies year-round, and perhaps not even as many legacy A330 planes as are currently in the oversized Hawaiian fleet of 24, Alaska will, of financial necessity, move those aircraft to higher-yield domestic and international markets and perhaps brand them accordingly. That shift would, over time, make it harder to justify maintaining the Hawaiian identity financially.
We’ve seen this play out already. Service from Ontario to Honolulu quietly flipped from Hawaiian to Alaska. There was no big announcement. But travelers noticed and commented. And that isn’t the only route in a pattern that could repeat elsewhere.
What to expect in the months ahead.
The key signals to watch are which brand Alaska uses for any new international route announcements, whether the Hawaiian 787 interiors are retrofitted to new Alaska global standards, and whether the next round of aircraft deliveries arrive with an entirely new paint job.
Behind the scenes, loyalty programs are already fast converging with just two months to run. That process is expected to quickly accelerate. Once Alaska takes complete control, branding decisions won’t hinge on legacy. They’ll be driven by what performs. And the airline that once brought Hawaii to the world may be headed somewhere else.
As one Beat of Hawaii reader put it: “This was the very last airline that felt like Hawaii in the sky. Now it just feels like that’s slipping away, flight by flight.”
We’re continuing to monitor the merger’s impact on service, aircraft and branding. And we’ll keep tracking how much longer Hawaiian Airlines still looks, sounds, and feels like itself. Beat of Hawaii has many Hawaiian flights in upcoming months, and will continue to report back.
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Please Do NOt rename our beautiful Hawaiian Airlines. Please Do Not replace our attendants with anyone who does not understand Our Aina or Our Aloha Spirit
Yup in less than 5 yrs it will be gone
My October trip will probably be my last experience with Hawaiian as we know it and my final time visit Hawaii. I’ve officially been priced out. I was looking at prices for scuba diving, and in Hilo they want $400 USD for a two tank dive! In January in the Cook Islands I paid $170 New Zealand Dollars for the exact same dive. Hawaii is reaping what they’ve sowed and I really don’t have a pity for them anymore.
I’ve always felt that Alaska would eventually keep just one brand but sounds like it will happen much faster. Alaska should rebrand itself as Hawaiian or something to reflect the strong West Coast presence and, keep Pualani, over Chester! I think Alaska will eventually phase out Airbus for Boeing as they did with the VA acquisition. The 787’s are much nicer and quieter too.
I just returned from a quick round trip to San Diego aboard Hawaiianʻs A321neo aircraft in Economy.
The Pluses:
– Hawaiian crew and choke aloha
– Hawaiian music and cabin design
– Full-sized lavatories.
– Ambient mood lighting
– Starlink free WiFi (worked perfectly both ways)
– The free Pau Hana ciabatta sandwich from SAN to HNL was outstanding
– The chocolate macnut bite and Honolulu Cookie Company handouts were small, but a very nice touch.
– The complimentary Kōloa Rum Punch was a nice touch
The Minuses
– Very uncomfortable seats. Hawaiianʻs B/E Aerospace seats just arenʻt as comfortable as Alaskaʻs Recaro seats.
– The layout of the A321 just seemed cramped, even though it wasnʻt really.
– No pre-programmed inflight entertainment. You have to stream your own subscription services.
– The free Pau Hana whatever-that-was from HNL to SAN was awful.
Just recently flew on Hawaiian A321 FC and Extra Comfort return trip, here’s my take:
The Pluses:
– Hawaiian crew lots of aloha
– Free Starlink WiFi with fast connection
Minuses:
– Although lavatory was a bit larger, it seemed aged, no soft-close seats and not as nice IMO as the 737 Max 900.
– Food wasn’t great in FC, and even worse in steerage
– Extra Comfort only got you extra 4 inches, had to pay for alcohol, no free snacks offered. Not worth it.
– FC had free iPads for entertainment but not a huge list and older titles
– A321 lavatory locations – felt weird to have two lavatories in the middle of single aisle plane
– Hawaiian’s website is wonky on managing your reservations, not as good as other major carriers or even Alaska’s website/app.
– Status benefit was nil to none
Let me inform everybody. Alaska Airlines also has Alaska Air Group which acquired Horizon Air in 1986. They are still flying today and in some cases does the short hops from PDX to SEA in Hawaiian departures if leaving PDX-SEA-HNL. Horizon Air hasn’t been dropped like Virgin America and it has been operating for 39 years. I think Horizon flys out of pdx to SAC, Reno, SEA, Boise, and Seatac. The reason Alaska didn’t keep Virgin Airlines is because lack of bookings and they felt they would not be profitable besides some full service alcohol issues.
The reason Alaska did away with the Virgin brand all comes down to money. Branson wanted royalties for every flight that was flown in a Virgin painted plane. Alaska is too conservative to pay out royalties when they could repaint planes & be done with Branson once & for all.
There was no DOT agreement to keep the VX name or brand. There is a DOT agreement to keep the Hawaiian name.
Don’t forget Richard Branson demanded $100m per year in licensing fees to keep the VX brand alive.
It seems inevitable that Alaska “right sizes” Hawaiian to strengthen its position to be Hawaii centric and get rid of as much overlap with Alaska routes as is reasonably possible. Lets be honest, How long would HA have lasted without some kind of rescue? Its great that we all loved the feel of the boarding music and the Pualani on the tail and mainlanders who felt like their vacation started a little earlier but buried in that feeling HA was hemorrhaging cash for decades. If Alaska is able to strengthen HA, pare down its network to be closer tied to Hawaii, make assurances that interisland is here to stay, concentrate on only the highest demand West Coast to Hawaii routes with widebody aircraft and a few high demand Asia-Pacific routes from HNL, that will put HA in a good position to survive and thrive.
We all know that HA’s long reach internationally and to the East Coast is recent in its long history and not essential to its brand identity.
Well, I’m one disgruntled Alaska customer. You indicate Alaska is stealing Hawaiian planes and routes. You should also point out that Hawaiian is stealing some Alaska routes. Alaska used to fly two flights a day from San Diego to Honolulu. No longer- there are only Hawaiian flights now! And Hawaiian does not have near the same quality frequent flyer program as Alaska has. No real premium economy, and a poor excuse for an upgrade program. I regularly get bumped to premium economy or first class with my 20k miles a year MVP status on Alaska. And at least so far, my great Alaskan status has no benefit at all on Hawaiian. I can’t even book my seat on a Hawaiian flight from the Alaska site! From my perspective it will be great when Alaska jettisons (no pun intended) the Hawaiian brand!
Phil H–It won’t be long before you will get all your Alaska benefits on Hawaiian as there will soon just be one loyalty program. And, HA will be adding premium economy to its A330 fleet. I am not sure what aircraft type they use on the route you fly but I suspect that over time, they will also add premium economy to the A321neo fleet. No need to jettison the Hawaiian brand!
That will come before the end of the year. Right now they run two booking systems. The issues go away when they combine.
I’ll also add being rebooked from Alaska to Hawaiian is better than the reverse. When that happened to me, I got bumped from premium to steerage and Alaska wouldn’t let me upgrade. Fortunately I’m in both programs and was able to cancel and rebook on Alaska directly at little extra cost.
Why do commenters on this site continually use Alaskan Airlines on this site? For the umpteenth time the name of the airline is Alaska not Alaskan!
More accurate to call it Seattle Airline. Hasn’t reflected Alaska culture for years now.
Ahhh…kind of like SeaFirst bank who originated the AS credit card!
Air Seattle
SeaFirst credit card
SeaTac Air for commuter flights…lol
As long as the HA 717’s are in service – probably for the next five years out – you’ll have the Hawaiian brand. Long term, I’m not so sure. AAG is not big enough to support two brands – unlike Air France and KLM – which are large airlines under the same ownership.
From an economic standpoint, I can’t see how AS and or AAG can make a valid business case to continue the HA brand after the D.O.T. agreement times out.
The expense to maintain two websites, two IATA designator codes and all the marketing costs to the travel agencies and wholesalers to run two brands is not a valid business case and conflicts with AS’s own Project Accelerate.
@Sumner R–you make some good points. However, I am not sure two websites is one of them. I suspect both airlines will be on the same website and use the same app by year end, after they are on a single operating certificate.
But AS provides a lot of service to/from and within the state of Alaska, with an important hub at ANC. They also connect AK cities, including a number of smaller ones, nonstop to SEA for onward connectivity. They also have a special program for AK residents that provides free checked bags. By connecting disparate parts of such a huge state, and providing air freight services, Alaska Airlines is a huge contributor to Alaska culture.
As a Hawaii expat, it is always great to be on a Hawaiian Air flight heading home. One thing I noticed that its not only the ambiance and overall Hawaii inspired inflight experience, its also about the people. Most flight crews reside in the islands and are our neighbors and friends. I think that what makes Hawaiian special. I think that is something to consider. Regardless of the branding and AAG marketing plans, the people are still there and their hospitality within most Hawaii residents will always be there. I hope in the future that such hospitality continues and make every flight like its another pa’ina.
Song for Delta and Ted for United were brand extensions for a particular marketing purpose, not acquisitions like Virgin America by Alaska (or PSA by USAir or AirCal by American). Those brand extensions can’t be used for comparison, but the acquisitions certainly can.
On top of that they tried to run a cheaper operation with the same overhead costs. Same pilots, same mechanics, same airplanes.
You have a good point. And to add to that where does PSA fly now? It operates American eagle flights in the Northeast so Pacific Southwest airlines is now flying in the Northeast. That really doesn’t bode well for the future of Hawaiian airlines maintaining its identity.
Will the $100.00 companion discount be honored after Oct. 1st?
Yawn 🥱! Who cares. Just fly safe, comfortable and affordable please!
Just sharing my experience on first class ticket flight from ontario to honolulu on june 28th – flew up on HA but return changed to AS. 1) music played during boarding was not Hawaiian but rap or ? 2) announcement that since this was a new aircraft they did not yet install wifi (no entertainment available) 3) partition behind FC is just a see thru curtain – no solid side walls 4) all passengers are allowed to access the FC bathroom – when I wanted to use it, mom w/crying kids always beat me to it as they were in the 1st row after FC and could easily see when it became available; attendants would not allow anyone to stand and wait for availability 5) flight attendant serving the regular class section would come up to FC section when she had “a break” I guess and lean against the aisle wall by the 1st row and just stare at everyone. Never again for me!
Alaska has a great marketing dept. and a very mediocre hard and soft product in the air. It is AS policy that the forward lav is for FC passengers only yet this policy is rarely if ever enforced. It is also policy- FAA that passengers cannot queue for the forward lav by the forward lav door- again, FAA reg- rarely enforced.
The disappearing flight attendant is a frequent occurrence on AS flights and I make sure to always let them know when I get the survey after the flight (as an MVP Gold). The AS FA union doesn’t have a good relationship with the company so I suspect that this behavior is partially an ongoing protest.
One thing you mentioned however is odd. All of the new AS 737 MAX jets are delivered with IntelSat operational WiFi, very weird that it was not working!
We have to keep Alaska on their toes during the integration and encourage them to up their game. Fill out the surveys, go to their “Contact Us” page on Alaskaair.com, let them know!
The only thing Hawaiian that Alaska Airlines can’t change, is our 50th State name. As far as everything else, like Aloha Airlines, we bid Aloha to it.
I wish Hawaiian Airlines had stayed as is, but it couldn’t. Somebody more savvy stepped in, and if it had to be somebody, I’m glad it’s Alaska.
Alaska Airlines was originated as a Pacific Northwest Airline bringing people from Alaska to the Seattle and Portland area. It has strong roots in the pacific northwest not Hawaii. It is based out of Seattle so it’s values are not the same as Hawaii travelers. Don’t expect it to be converted to some island carrier and island culture because Alaska,Oregon,Washington, Idaho, aren’t islands and never will be.
Maybe a little empathy and compassion is required. What if the company that you gave your blood, sweat, and tears to was bought out by a company (possibly even to foreign investors) who didn’t care about its long heritage, history, employees, or its loyal customers? What if the shoe was on the other foot? Yes, Alaska has no vested interest in Hawaii. It only started flying here when the B737 was approved for ETOPS so they could join “the club.” The synergies of both combined companies is the only thing that will make this acquisition successful. Otherwise Delta and the other major airlines will prevail, regardless of the Pacific Northwest loyalty factor.
@William–If AS didn’t have a “vested interest” in Hawaii before, they certainly do now. Per the Federal approval of the acquisition, they have to maintain the Hawaiian brand name as well as inter-island flights. And as someone else pointed out, AS has scaled back its flights to Hawaii in favor of HA branding. Furthermore, HA couldn’t have continued to exist without the buyout–it was hemorrhaging money.
AS has shown itself to be a smart operator and a ferocious competitor. The Virgin America buyout was largely a poison pill to make an acquisition by Delta impossible but it also made AS an important player at SFO. At SEA, they have surprised DL by expanding hugely–and now, with international long hauls. They have more than double DL’s market share at SEA. If AS succeeds in this new expansion, it will open up many new 1-stop European markets to HI. That could (no guarantees) eventually lead to European nonstops from HNL but that will depend upon economic factors.
The key phrase in your response is “If AS succeeds in this new expansion…” I agree that AS now has a vested interest in Hawaii because of its inheritance of Hawaiian Airlines’ operation. The 6-year enforceable DOT approval does not require AS to permanently keep the HA name or livery. Among other provisions it requires that “robust levels of service” between the islands and “key routes” to/from the continental U.S. be maintained as of December 2023. Keeping the HA brand was only promised by AS as a gesture to gain approval from Hawaii’s governor and lawmakers. Yes, for now AS is a strong competitor. Hopefully the combined airline will succeed.
@William–I would like to make it clear that I want Hawaiian Airlines to survive and thrive. If you didn’t get that from my prior posts, let me state it clearly now. I have lived in Honolulu so understand the loyalty to the Hawaiian brand, perhaps better than you realized. I now live in Seattle. I have status with Delta, not with Alaska, but I often fly AS because they have nonstops to places DL doesn’t.
Yes, AS likely agreed to keeping the brand to gain support from HI state officials. Regardless of why, AS is locked in for 6 years–and conservatively, that’s about 5 years longer than HA would have lasted without the buyout. I am hoping the HA brand lasts indefinitely.
I appreciate your position. You write well and I appreciate the conversation.
@Don–your assertion that Alaska Airlines is a Pacific Northwest company is largely correct but the company began in Alaska and was initially entirely an intrastate carrier–they didn’t always even fly as far south as Seattle. The company didn’t move its HQ to Seattle (from Anchorage) until the early 1950s.
I hope the Hawaiian Airlines brand lasts forever. It’s upsetting to think Alaska Airlines would do away with Hawaiian Airlines. Alaska Airlines knew how much the Hawaiian name meant to Hawaii and to visitors.
Ya know you got United, American Airlines, Delta, Southwest etc. This branding issue is getting to be a sore subject. Isn’t it really about getting from point A to B without the worry of who’s name is painted on the silly plane. Just a feud between Alaska and Hawaiian seems childish. Most companies that buy out other companies change the name instantly. You should feel glad Alaska has kept Hawaiian logo and badge this long. Sorry maybe Alaska needs to buy Hawaiian a bigger pitty pot.
I always loved Hawaiian air but now with the change I will be looking for an other way of travel. Since once again merge with the executives get a big pay out and the the Hawaiin employees. So from now on I will find a different airline to fly and it will not be Alaskan air. ( sorry for the language but that is how I feel)
Its a shame you feel that way.
Alaska Airlines just reported that Hawaiian Airlines has made money for the *first time* since 2019. Alaska’s movements are good for Hawaiian, good for Hawai’i, and good for the brand.
And when you talk about employees, Alaska Air Group typically has some of the largest profit sharing payouts to staff of any airline. Soon those bonuses will get rolled out to Hawaiian once their unions permit it or they are part of Alaska Airlines.
Agree there 100%, I have a friend who worked at Alaska and loved the benefits. If you have always flown Hawaiian you don’t know how good other airlines are! I feel Alaska’s products/service will only improve what Hawaiian offers once things finally merge.
If I remember correctly Alaska said they’d keep the Virgin America brand after the merge. That was short lived.
There is an additional barrier to dropping the Hawaiian name: Federal approval of the acquisition required it. That was not the case with Virgin America.
Sorry…meant to say that Federal approval required that the Hawaiian name be continued.
Alaska never promised that. They had to pay royalties to the Virgin Group – one reason they moved so fast to repaint the planes and debrand all the airports.
My understanding is that AS is still paying royalties to Virgin, even though they haven’t used the name in a long time. Per an AI search, they are obligated to pay a minimum of $8 million per year into 2039!
The Hawaiian Airlines that we have grown up with is dying a slow death. Yes, we are now owned by Alaska—we march to their drumbeat now. Still it is very sad. Alaska is in a 2nd half “prevent defense.” They need to stave off Delta’s offensive muscle. Taking over Hawaiian’s poor economic position and rapidly expanding their international operation was their only option to survive. Brand loyalty (or paint jobs) mean nothing once customer service suffers and prices rise. How many of us shop or buy gas at a big-box store instead of the hometown grocery or service station?
Loyalty to Hawaiian Airlines only. Will close Master card account.
Just a small counter to the doom and gloom of this article, Alaska Airlines has actually given its hawaii routes over to the Hawaiian Airlines brand side for the west coast overall. What used to be multiple flights a day out of PDX, SFO, LAX, and SEA to the islands under Alaskas banner, is now significantly reduced(some just 1 a day) with increased flights for Hawaiian and better aircraft management. Their A330 to PDX used to only run once a day and now its doing multiple runs a day just as an example. It all comes down to what makes financial sense to the company of course so who knows how long it’ll last. But im sure they know that the true Hawaiian experience sells tickets and thats probably why theyre using the Hawaiian brand on island flights and positioning the alaska brand as the international side if it doesnt go into the islands
Exactly, the party isn’t over.
Agree on the Hawaiian experience and brand, however, I feel Alaska made that change too quickly leaving Alaska elites in the dust with a subpar product on Hawaiian with less benefits. I’ve flown both and definitely prefer Alaska’s benefits and product over Hawaiian.
Alaska Airlines must now change its name. The money grubbing company does not reflect the spirit of Aloha of Hawaii nor the Last Frontier of Alaska. Call itself GREEDY Airlines where the customer is always a sucker.
I bet you 100 pineapples or a case of snow that AAG will not change the name of Alaska Airlines.
No way, no how, not happening…period.
Not even back to McGee Airways or Star Airlines.
Why would AAG want to change the name to something that sounds like a disease?
Remember when UAL decided that “Allegis” would be a better name?…lol
I’ve been thinking for a while that the only Hawaiian Airlines flights will be interisland and maybe to/from Vegas to keep that link. Otherwise it’s done for the brand.
While I fully understand the emotions, I really think your analysis is flawed, BOH. Yes, Alaska has ambitions that go well beyond Hawaii. It’s pretty obvious that part of the reason they bought HA was to get their hands on widebodies so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that new 787s will be Alaska branded. That isn’t at all about getting rid of the Hawaiian brand. You also failed to mention that Federal approval of the acquisition came with a few strings, including keeping the Hawaiian brand.
As for using HA to fly nonstops from SEA that don’t touch Hawaii, that’s likely because AS doesn’t yet have its own widebody qualified pilots and the 2 carriers still operate on separate certificates. Once full integration is achieved, yes, some things will change but that doesn’t necessarily spell doom for the HA brand. As you pointed out, though, economics will drive business decisions.
Good day~ I am really trying to understand the cascade of articles about the merger and the real lack of understanding of what a merger is all about. Alaska has bought out Hawaii, most Airlines would’ve started wiping the name off of the airplanes and rebranding at this point. The Hawaiian brand will not be the surviving brand, all we can hope for is that Alaska keeps some semblance of the Hawaiian brand in the local market and back-and-forth from the mainland. Do not expect dreamers to start flying international routes out of Seattle and to be branded as Hawaiian, because from a marketing standpoint, that makes absolutely no sense. We will most likely see a reduction of international flying out of Honolulu, but I would suggest that is how the market is changing, and not the acquisition of Hawaiian by Alaska. If travel is down, as you state in the article, then the airlines are going to adjust to the demand and will reduce flying. Simple economics! Cheers
“Hawaiian is different. It’s a full-service airline with nearly a century of independent history, a dedicated interisland network, and a clear emotional link to its home state and Hawaii travel. That gives it more staying power. But it also means Alaska must decide how long it’s willing to operate two brands that offer overlapping services and could compete for internal resources.”
The “Bean Counters” of Alaska Airlines will make that decision as it has no ties with the history of Hawaii.
In case nobody has noticed… Alaska Hawaiian will already have a sole brand. It’s called…
OneWorld
and is recognized internationally as well as domestically and encompasses much more than simply Alaska or Hawaiian. No need to fix what is not broken.
HA is not in OneWorld…at least not yet.