While Southwest just announced voluntary buyout packages for their employees at eighteen airports, any Hawaii staff reductions were noticeably absent. Southwest continues to find ways to manage costs amid rising expenses and delays in new Boeing aircraft deliveries. At the moment, Hawaii is excluded from these changes despite the Southwest facing challenges in the islands.
Following Hawaiian Airlines’ merger with Alaska Airlines, Southwest faces even tougher competition in Hawaii. The airline has struggled with load factors, particularly in the interisland market, where Hawaiian remains dominant.
Red-eye flights and next changes to interisland service.
Southwest will continue its plans to introduce Hawaii red-eye flights starting early in 2025 from Hawaii. These will provide the following:
- Greater flexibility for travelers.
- Improved aircraft utilization.
- Easing of Southwest daytime schedules.
Additionally, Southwest is set to implement previously announced, unspecified reductions in interisland flights. They will shift focus toward specific nonstop routes from western focus cities to the islands. Southwest is expected to refine its Hawaii strategy rather than pull back completely.
One reader, Jordan, offered a straightforward take on this, saying, “For Southwest, interisland flying allows aircraft utilization, builds community presence, and pressures competitors…[but] shutting down Hawaiian interisland flying is not going to make Southwest profitable.”
Why Hawaii is spared from “buyouts”—for now.
Southwest’s decision to spare Hawaii airport ground workers from buyout offers for now is due to the need to maintain interisland and Hawaii-mainland service levels, at least for the time being. In addition, Southwest has struggled to hire and maintain employees at Hawaii airports. In any event, this temporary exemption for Hawaii employees may not last.
Commenters like Jetway J noted, “Southwest’s mainland-Hawaii flights are among its quickest return-on-investment routes…cutting back could make things worse in Hawaii, especially with competition now from the Alaska-Hawaiian merger.”
Hawaii’s unique role in Southwest’s broader challenges.
Southwest’s struggles in Hawaii parallel its past experience at Newark Airport. After nearly a decade of competing against United Airlines, Southwest eventually exited Newark in 2019. The Alaska-Hawaiian merger creates a similarly daunting scenario in Hawaii, especially with Alaska’s powerhouse capabilities compared to Hawaiian before being acquired.
Commenter Jim O pointed out, “The Alaska-Hawaiian merger will certainly result in high volatility and disruptions. If Southwest remains in the market, it’s going to take years for things to stabilize.”
Community perspectives: mixed reactions to potential reductions.
Hawaii travelers have enjoyed Southwest’s presence in Hawaii, including the lack of reservation change fees and free checked bags, among other things. D, a commenter, added, “Southwest offers best legroom in economy class…consistent low to lowest fares; and no red-eye flights.” (Well, oops on no red-eyes).
Others, however, have expressed somewhat less satisfaction. Srini R remarked, “The Southwest experience to Hawaii is lacking…and planes often run late for interisland flights.” Cockroach voiced similar frustrations: “Southwest is finally paying for the service they provide. It’s a free market, and the customer is expressing their choice of airline.”
The road ahead: how long will Hawaii continue to be spared?
Southwest may increasingly focus on specific and more profitable mainland routes, which have shown better performance than its interisland services. With red-eyes on the horizon and new Boeing planes delayed, the future of its Hawaii operations remains uncertain. The Alaska-Hawaiian merger further complicates the picture, potentially shifting market dynamics on both interisland and mainland Hawaii flights.
While Hawaii’s ground staff are safe from cuts, Southwest’s long-term approach to Hawaii is still taking shape. Southwest will undoubtedly continue assessing the profitability of each Hawaii route, seeking the best balance for its long-term success.
We welcome your input on Southwest’s latest changes.
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There are no inter-sland flights from Southwest.
You can’t even fly round-trip from Maui to Oahu. They only connect flights to mainland through inter-island pickups that originate in Oahu etc
SW needs to bring smaller planes like 737 and do exclusive inter-Island local planes.
Don’t understand why no one else is attempting this beyond Hawaiian now owned by Alaska.
Southwest offers lots of interisland flights and offers 11 direct flights from Maui to Oahu daily. They also offer direct flights from mainland cities to the islands without the need to go to Oahu first.
The airline industry runs in cycles with years of growth and profits followed by loss years featuring bankrupt filings and mergers. Just a matter of time until the next downturn hits, and for Hawaiian, that could mean real trouble. If Alaska takes a real hit on it’s balance sheet, look for an immediate absorption of Hawaiian into Alaska. Major cost savings would result from a merger. All that talk about preserving Hawaiian’s identity will vanish if and when Alaska needs major cost savings. The clock is ticking.
I guess you are unfamiliar with the deal Don. Hawaiian and Alaska are essentially going to be one airline. One operating certificate, merged employee seniority lists, etc etc. Alaska simply has the Hawaiian brand and all the advantages that creates for serving Hawaii. They can deploy it anyway they want. That said, as long as there is a Hawaii, it makes sense to use the Hawaiian Air brand. It is a powerful marketing tool. For instance SWA couldn’t compete with it as this article indicates. Alaska/SWA inter island?… SWA could compete, but HA/SWA, no chance.