The frenzy around airline mergers has returned. This time we think it might land not far from home.
56 thoughts on “Will Hawaiian Airlines Be Acquired Next?”
Comments are closed.
The frenzy around airline mergers has returned. This time we think it might land not far from home.
Comments are closed.
I love Hawaiian Airlines and would be so sad if they went away! I could fly direct to Lihue on Alaska or others but I don’t because I’m loyal to Hawaiian Airlines.
I would also miss my Pualani membership and be stuck with over 200,000 air miles. How long do these things take and do they honor
purchased tickets?
Although very unlikely even in this case, One’s mileage would be at risk in bankruptcy. You would be a creditor and would maybe come out with something. Merger and acquisition won’t threaten your mileage.
I don’t forsee Hawaiian merging with any other airline. They are a solid proven airline who has done great on their own. However, I can see Jet Blue going after and buying Alaska Airlines in the future.
Frontier’s a fit as is Jet Blue. Good feeder service from the mainland is needed to keep it viable. Keep the name.
I feel like the state of Hawaii will never let Hawaiian Airlines disappear.
Good point Andy, a mainland carrier buying Hawaiian means most of the 7000 HA employees would lose their job when Hawaii just becomes another destination for some mainland carrier. Can’t believe the State would let that happen. The State should be doing everything they can to support an independent Hawaiian Airlines, doing anything else is slap in the face of the residents. Fly Local/buy local!
I have to question if all this cash all the airlines have for deal making is a result of the Covid payments that were meant to protect jobs, and are now being used for a giant game of corporate monopoly to enhance shareholder value…..
I sure hope Hawaiian is not bought out or that they merge with another airline. Rarely does anything good come out of it for the customer. eBay is a classic example of how a perfectly good working company is now total garbage!
It would be a terrible blow to Hawaii if that happened. Hawaiian being local is what makes it’s service superior. You can’t do what they do from mainland based HQ. Interesting fact, Hawaiian is the only airline that survived deregulation. Every airline that existed in 1978 either disappeared (Pan Am, Eastern Aloha etc) or merged to survive (Delta, UAL SWA etc) HA is not only the oldest surviving carrier (1929] they are the only one that has never merged to become what they are.
Aloha
I think it would be high unlikely that any airline would acquire Hawaiian. It’s a niche market that wouldn’t give any airline much advantage. Usually airlines buy each other up to eliminate competition and acquire more aircraft quickly (as AS did with VX). No one’s going to spend that much money just to get more Hawaiian flying. If someone did buy Hawaiian they would break it apart and reallocate the aircraft to mainland flying.
Sad but true, a mainland airline painting another name on the aircraft combined with merged seniority lists and allowing the highest seniority access to the Pacific flying and everything that is good about Hawaiian would be gone. The State would lose the only airline they can count on in dire times. Mainland airlines pull back after hurricanes and other downturns, HA has always been there for Hawaii.
Good analysis; thanks for your thoughts.
I believe the current Administration in D.C. is not in favor of airline consolidations; stifles competition.
So much for loyalty to Hawaiian Airlines for being “home grown”, and “when the employees come to Hawaii, they are coming home”, and “I would never book with anyone but our own Hawaiian Airlines” etc. etc. Sigh…
A few thoughts:
1. Typically if an airline is looking for a suiter, they typically get themselves “dressed up” if you will be attractive to investors. I don’t see Hawaiian doing that.
2. We don’t know who has come through the doors at Koapaka St’s HQ and made an offer. For all, we know B6, VA, and even the types like UAL, have and HAL said no.
3. While HAL says no, you can be the conversation goes something like this: “We are not for sale, but how much?”
With COVID, all bets are off.
Dressing sometimes goes on behind the scenes. Pray SWA or AK aren’t in the driver’s seat.