Hawaiian Adds Flights To Australia And New Zealand

Hawaiian Airlines announced that they will increase flights to both Australian destinations (SYD and BNE), and AKL during the months of September and October this year.

Further information in this Hawaiian Airlines press release.

Singapore's 9V-SFK

Singapore Airlines Cargo is routed one of their cargo flights through HNL this morning. SQC7961 arrived from LAX, en route to MEL, for a fuel stop. 9V-SFK (c/n 28030, l/n 1298), a 747-412F, parked on the North Ramp during its HNL stopover. The 747-412 is pictured above, on HNL's North Ramp.

Kamaka's N248KA Enters Service

Kamaka Air's newest C208BF Grand Cargomaster, N248KA (msn 208B2408), entered service this morning with a flight to MKK. It's seen above taxiing out for its departure from Runway 4R.

China Southern's B-5717

China Southern Airlines is taking delivery of B-5717 (c/n 38938, l/n 4347) this morning. This 737-81B is flying from BFI as CSN101, and will overnight at HNL upon arrival here. With the large number of bizjets that AirService Hawaii is handling on their ramp, China Southern is using Castle & Cooke Aviation to do the ground handling on this particular stopover. B-5717 is seen above, taxiing to the Castle & Cooke ramp.

N650PH

One of the first production Gulfstream G650s, N650PH (c/n 6013), is making a stop at HNL, as it makes its way to AKL, from VNY. It's seen above landing on Runway 4R. The G650 made a quick stop at Bradley Pacific Aviation, before taxiing over to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam [HIK].

N227GV

After spending two months sitting on HNL's South Ramp, N227GV (msn 19000159), the ERJ-190-100ECJ Lineage 1000, is making its way back to Asia, as it's leaving for GUM this morning, where it will stop for fuel. It's final destination is HLP [Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, Jakarta, Indonesia].

Qantas Fleet Renewal

Qantas Airways announced today that they will phase out their 737-400s by year's end, and their 767-300ER fleet by the end of 2015. At the same time, Qantas announced that they will grow their 737-838 fleet to a total of 75 airframes from the current 54. Four are currently on order for delivery this year, with five more in 2014, and the other 12 to follow.

Further details in this Qantas Airways press release.

Malindo Air's 9M-LNB

Malindo Air [MLO] is the Malaysian subsidiary of Indonesia's Lion Air, and they are taking delivery of their first 737-8GP, 9M-LNB (c/n 38728, l/n 4350) today. Flying as MLO1, 9M-LNB made a Lion Air-type stop at HNL. As seen above, Malindo is the new low-cost carrier in Malaysia, and will retain its parent company's livery and logo. We're not sure where this flight will terminate, but we know MLO1 was headed for MAJ.

Lion Air will allocate a portion of their existing orders to build the Malindo fleet. 9M-LNB was originally designated as PK-LKS, prior to its allocation to Malindo.

Malaysia's 9M-MSA

Malaysia Airlines is taking delivery of 9M-MSA (c/n 40143, l/n 4346) today. The 737-8H6 is flying as MAS5473, and will overnight at HNL, after completing its first leg of its delivery flight. It's seen above, taxiing to the Castle & Cooke Aviation ramp, where it will overnight. MAS5473 will continue onto PNI tomorrow.

This was the Castle & Cooke's second daily double in the past five days, but this time, these are 737-800s headed for Malaysia.

Atlas Air's N415MC

Qantas Freight operated by Atlas Air utilized one of their two 747-47UF/SCD painted in the Emirates Skycargo livery. N415MC (c/n 32837, l/n 1304) flew in from Chicago O'Hare International (KORD/ORD) the previous night, and departed this morning to Sydney (YSSD/SYD) as QFA7552.

Hawaiian Announces Service To Sendai

Hawaiian Airlines announced this morning that they intend to launch service between HNL and Sendai International Airport [SDJ/RJSS], beginning June 25, 2013, pending governmental approval. The three-flights-pre-week service will be flown with their 767-300ERs.

HAL441: HNL-SDJ

HAL442: SDJ-CTS-HNL

This HNL-SDJ flight will be the first regularly scheduled service between the two cities, as Japan Airlines only has (and had) seasonal charters from SDJ.

Further information in this Hawaiian Airlines press release.

Solaseed's JA806X

Solaseed Airlines is taking delivery of their second GECAS-leased 737-86N today. JA806X (c/n 38036, l/n 4339) is making its delivery flight as SNJ806X, and will overnight at HNL.

Skymark's JA73NR

Skymark Airlines is taking delivery of JA73NR (c/n 39927, l/n 4340) today. The 737-8FH, leased from SMBC, is making its delivery flight from BFI as SKY73NR, and will overnight at HNL.

I'm not sure, but this may be the first Japan-bound 737 delivery flight daily double we've had here at HNL.

American And US Airways To Merge

American Airlines and US Airways announced this morning that the two airlines have agreed to merge. American will be the surviving brand, especially with their re-brand and new livery.

How this merger will affect the Hawai‘i market remains to be seen. The US Airways (and previous America West Airlines) service to/from PHX survived that merger. Also, how fast will the former US Airways fleet receive the new American branding?

American Airlines has released this webpage about the merger.

American's acquisitions since the 1980s: AirCal (Air California) [OC/ACL], Reno Air [QQ/ROA], and Trans World Airlines [TW/TWA].
US Airways' acquisitions since the 1980s: Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) [PS/PSX], Piedmont Airlines [PI/PAI], and America West Airlines [HP/AWE].

US Air Force's 80-1081

A U-2S of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing based out of Beale AFB arrived in the mid-morning sunlight. 80-1081 (c/n 081) along with other U-2s' deployed to Osan Air Base, South Korea have been slowly withdrawn from the theater.

Beijing Airlines' B-8028

One of Beijing Airlines' business jets, B-8028 (msn 101), a Falcon 7X, has made a stop at HNL. Beijing Airlines [BJN] is the business jet charter subsidiary of Air China, and has a mixed fleet of several business jet types. This Falcon 7X is flying as BJN882.

Hawaiian's Service Upgrades

Hawaiian Airlines announced today, that they will upgrade their HNL-PDX [HAL25/26] service from a 767-300ER to an A330-243, beginning on May 10, 2013. Also, from June 13 to October 3, Hawaiian's HNL-OAK flight [HAL47/48] will go daily.

Further information in this Hawaiian Airlines press release.

Island Air N348AE

Island Air's ATR7 on the ramp at PHTO Tuesday, Feb 12, 2013.  Beautiful paint scheme on these! 

Qantas' VH-ZXA

Qantas Airways is ferrying another of their 767-336ERs to ROW for storage. The RB211-powered VH-ZXA (c/n 24337, l/n 288) has stopped over at HNL from SYD as QFA6025.

24337 was originally delivered to British Airways as G-BNWE, named "City of Lisbon", in March 1990. In the late 90s, when British Airways switched to its "World Tails" livery, G-BNWE received the "Chelsea Rose" motif. Qantas then purchased it in August 2000.

‘Ohana By Hawaiian

‘Ohana by Hawaiian is the new branding for the new ATR42 operations that Hawaiian Airlines will launch this summer. The airline held a press conference this morning in the Inter-Island Terminal to announce their formal plans to operate two ATR42s for service to LNY and MKK. The ‘Ohana livery was designed by local clothing designer Sig Zane, and his son Kuha‘o.

Further information in this Hawaiian Airlines press release, and on Hawaiian's website.

photos from the media event to follow ...