First, news that Southwest is now recruiting for an ETOPS Program Manager. This is only further indication that the news we broke prior to Southwest’s own announcement is correct. They do indeed have their sights firmly focused on Hawaii.
Then today, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly made it official that the carrier is ordering 737-800s. He added that these plans will come to them “ETOPS enabled,” or in other words ready to fly here to Hawaii.
- Southwest will begin receiving Hawaii-capable 737-800 aircraft from Boeing within the next two years. If there’s one thing we can all learn from Allegiant’s Hawaii debut delay, it’s that ETOPS certification is a lengthy and complicated process that should be undertaken as quickly as possible. Southwest gets that.
- If you think they’re going to do Hawaii in some small way, think again. While they won’t all be for Hawaii of course, they’re talking about an order of perhaps 80 of the new planes, with 20 of them being firm orders already placed for 2012 delivery.
- There are no locations of which I’m aware, other than Hawaii, that would necessitate Southwest’s obtaining an ETOPS certificate.
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Can’t wait!! Maybe interisland prices will go down, and there may be hope that I could afford to fly to Colorado to see family. Hurry up, Southwest, come on out here.
And next year we can fly direct to Hilo from the West Coast …
http://www.kitv.com/news/26145770/detail.html
Great work Jeff!
Posted on Trip Advisor a few minutes ago: ( http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60982-i38-k4021144-o15-Southwest_Airlines_may_start_service_to_Hawaii-Honolulu_Oahu_Hawaii.html#30094450 ).
Mahalo, Dodge
I had given up all hopes of EVER being able to take an inter-island flight. Maybe, JUST MAYBE, some day we will be able to visit another island. We are doing good just to get to our Timeshare on the Big Island – and this time it looks like we won’t even make that :0(
But SWA may be flying the Hawaiian skies by the time we want to come again! I won’t give up all hope.
Hurry up and get here. And lets get some interisland flights going ………….I checked a flight from Lihue to Kapalua in Feb 2011 and it was $250 each way! ……Out of control !!!! Maybe Southwest stewardess’ will give up the hot pants (for those of us that remember the day) for grass skirts?
Hurrah! Unjust flew southwest! No baggage fees for two bags. I missed my flight and the just put me on the next flight and if I wanted to change my ticket I could have. No fee. Fine to bring my food and not be shown a class d movie! The sooner the better!
All I can say is ‘YIPPEE!’
The sooner the better!!!