28 January 2021

Southwest Airlines To Add LGB-OGG Service

With the addition of slots at the Long Beach Airport allotted to Southwest Airlines, the airline announced six more routes from LGB, one of which is OGG, that begins on March 11th.

Previously, Southwest announced that HNL was in the initial destinations from LGB. The Dallas-based carrier will compete against Hawaiian Airlines at Long Beach.

Further information in this Southwest Airlines press release.

23 January 2021

Nauru Airlines' VH-YNU

Nauru Airlines is ferrying another 737-300, VH-YNU (c/n 25607, l/n 3127) from BNE to MIA, via INU, HNL and VNY, for freighter conversion. This 737-319, making an overnight stop at HNL, will spend a few months at MIA before returning to the Nauru Airlines fleet.

25067’s history
Oct 1999: Originally delivered to Air New Zealand as ZK-NGH, and flew until Nov 2014.
Dec 2014: Acquired by Nauru Airlines as VH-YNU.

14 January 2021

‘Ohana by Hawaiian Suspends Operations

With the US Department of Transportation's decision to award the non-funded Essential Air Service (EAS) contract to Mokulele Airlines for MKK and LNY, Hawaiian Airlines has suspended operations of its ‘Ohana by Hawaiian subsidiary as of today. Both Empire Airlines (who handles the ATR42 and ATR72 operations) and Hawaiian Airlines will keep a minimal staff on-hand to maintain the fleet as it sits in storage at HNL.

Further details in this CH-Aviation.com report.

12 January 2021

Alliance Airlines' N932QQ

Alliance Airlines is taking delivery of their third ERJ-190AR, N932QQ (msn 190000212). It's making its delivery flight from SJO to BNE, via SDM, HNL, and MAJ, as SXI2101. N932QQ is making its stop at HNL from SDM tonight, and continue onto MAJ tomorrow morning. It will receive its Australian registration, VH-UYY, after it completes its delivery flight.

19000212’s history
Oct 2008: Originally delivered to Copa Airlines as HP-1568CMP, and flew to March 2020.
Nov 2020: Sold to TVPX as N932QQ, then sold to Alliance Airlines.

09 January 2021

Sriwijaya Air's PK-CLC Crash

Sriwijaya Air's 737-524, PK-CLC "Citra" (c/n 27323, l/n 2616), crashed several minutes after takeoff from CGK. The 737, flying as SJY182 [CGK-PNK], plunged from over 10,000' to the ocean. All 62 souls aboard perished in the crash.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the lost.

Further information in this World Airline News coverage.

PK-CLC was a 26-year-old originally delivered to Continental Airlines as N27610. In April 2012, N27610 ferried through HNL on its way to CGK to join the Sriwijaya fleet.

01 January 2021

HNL RareBirds 15th Anniversary

Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou! Happy New Year!

HNLRareBirds.com is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2021! Above is our commemorative logo that will appear in the lower right corner of our 2021 photos.