HNL RareBirds™

18 June 2013

Xiamen's B-5788

Today, Xiamen Air is taking delivery of their second 737-85C this month. B-5788 (c/n 38382, l/n 4497) is making its delivery flight from BFI as CXA5788.

15 June 2013

Pacific Wings shut down its Hawai‘i operations today. The Kahului-based airline decided to close its doors here to concentrate efforts on its Essential Air Service (EAS) contracts on the mainland.

With Pacific Wings gone, this leaves MUE without scheduled passenger flights.

14 June 2013

China Southern's B-5743

China Southern Airlines is taking delivery of their second 737-81B within the past three days. B-5743 fc/n 39847, l/n 4492) is making its delivery flight from BFI today, as CSN3, and seen above taxiing to its parking spot.

13 June 2013

Shandong's B-5781

Today, Shandong Airlines is taking delivery of their second 737-85N in as many days. B-5781 (c/n 39332, l/n 4491) is making its delivery flight from BFI as CDG5781. It seen above departing for MAJ from Runway 8R.

12 June 2013

Shenzhen's B-5737

Shenzhen Airlines is taking delivery of B-5737 (c/n 39133, l/n 4488) today. The 737-87L is making its delivery flight as CSZ903.

11 June 2013

Qantas' VH-TJJ

Another 737-476 from Qantas heads to the deserts of Mojave. VH-TJJ "Heron" (c/n 24435, l/n 1959) is seen after its inbound leg from Apia (NSFA/APW), Samoa as QFA6027.

Heron was delivered in December 1990 to Australian Airlines where it flew until the airline was bought out by Qantas in 1993.

Garuda's PK-GFV

Garuda Indonesia is taking delivery of their second 737-800 in the past six days with PK-GFV (c/n 38885, l/n 4490). The 737-8U3 is making its delivery flight as GIA8011. It's second leg will take PK-GFV to PNI.

*** 06.14.13 Update ***
PK-GFV has stayed back at HNL, due to some kind of an issue, and should resume its delivery flight today.

China Southern's B-5747

China Southern Airlines is taking delivery of B-5747 (c/n 38961, l/n 4485) today. The 737-81B is making its delivery flight as CSN7.

Shandong's B-5782

Shandong Airlines is taking delivery of B-5782 (c/n 39111, l/n 4486) today. The 737-85N is making its delivery flight from BFI as CDG5782.

09 June 2013

Third ATR-72 Flying For Island Air

A third ATR-72-212, N425MJ (msn 425), is now flying for Island Air. This aircraft is all-white with a small Island Air decal on the front half. I'm surprised at the lack of a logo decal on this aircraft. According to the FAA registry, this aircraft is owned by Island Air.

N425MJ was originally delivered to American Eagle in 1994.

08 June 2013

Malindo's 9M-LNH

Malindo Air is taking delivery of 9M-LNH (c/n 38732, l/n 4484) tonight. The 737-9GPER is making is flight from BFI as MLO1, and will stay at HNL for a brief fuel stop before heading off to MAJ.

The past few Lion Air Group delivery flights have been making late night delivery flights from BFI, instead of the normal daytime flights.

RNZAF C-130H

A C-130H of the Royal New Zealand Air Force has been stuck in Hawaii for the past few days due to a mechanical issue in its #1 engine. NZ7001 (c/n 382-4052) is seen above in the mid-afternoon sun on the South Ramp.

07 June 2013

Korean Air's HL8222

Korean Air's 737-7B5 BBJ, HL8222 (c/n 37660, l/n 2997), is making a stop at HNL from JFK as KAL964P. The flight originated from CMN (Mohammed V International Airport, Casablanca, Morocco).

This BBJ was also photographed on its delivery flight stopover in July 2010.

*** 06.09.13 Update ***
KAL964P left for GMP today.

Lucky Air's B-5806

Lucky Air is taking delivery of B-5806 (c/n 39200, l/n 4483) today. This 737-79P is making its delivery flight from BFI as B5806, and is seen above on the AirService Hawaii ramp.

05 June 2013

Garuda's PK-GFU

Garuda Indonesia is taking delivery of PK-GFU (c/n 38040, l/n 4482) today. This GECAS-leased 737-86N is making its delivery flight from BFI as GIA8011. PK-GFU is seen above taxiing out to depart for PNI.

Qantas' VH-XZG

Qantas Airways is taking delivery of VH-XZG "Bungendore" (c/n 39371, l/n 4477) today. This 737-838 is making its delivery flight from BFI as QFA6024.

04 June 2013

Xiamen's B-5750

Xiamen Air is taking delivery of B-5750 (c/n 38380, l/n 4475) today. The 737-85C is making its delivery flight from BFI as CXA5750. B-5750 is seen above taxiing to Runway 8R for departure to MAJ.

03 June 2013

Alaska's "Spirit Of The Islands"

Alaska Airlines is debuting their Hawaii-themed "Spirit Of The Islands" 737-890 today, with a flight from SEA as ASA851. The special livery was designed by Kaiser High School student Aaron Nee, and will be a guest (along with his family) on the return flight to SEA, ASA856. N560AS (c/n 35179, l/n 2072), delivered to Alaska in September 1996, is the 737-890 selected to be adorned with this special livery.

More information in this Alaska Airlines press release.

Mahalo to Alaska Airlines for the photo.

Due to a failure with our previous email provider, we only received the media invite this morning, instead of the day it was sent out. Hence, we were unable to attend today's event. Our email address has since changed.

01 June 2013

Japan Airlines' JA8184

Our June edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" takes to July 2005, with this JAL Reso'cha liveried 747-346 pictured at Gate 28.

JA8184 (c/n 23968, l/n 693) was delivered to Japan Airlines in January 1988, and served with JAL until November 2008. It wore the gamut of JAL liveries: the 1970s cheatlined Tsuru; the 1990s Landor; the Reso'cha livery (above); and the 2000s "Arc of the Sun" livery. It went to Max Air (Nigeria) [--/---] in November 2008, as 5N-DBM, where it currently flies.

May 2013 Deliveries

Our Mission

Our mission is to bring you the latest news on airlines, airliners, and flights that are rare to Honolulu. We also cover airline media events at HNL, airline news affecting Hawai‘i, rarebirds visiting Neighbor Island airports, non-commercial versions of airliners, and military rarebirds.

This is the original, and definitive news website about the Daniel K Inouye International Airport (formerly known as the Honolulu International Airport) [HNL/PHNL], as well as the other Hawai‘i airports, by a team of aviation enthusiasts, planespotters, and photographers.

"Our little corner of the Pacific on the Internet." -- PanAm Hawaii

For the latest HNL RareBirds™ updates, follow us on our X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and YouTube social media channels.

Mahalo,
Ivan Nishimura
(BlueWave707)
Founder & Chief Editor

The Fine Print

All photographs on the HNL RareBirds™ website are copyrighted to, and property of the photographer who posted, or submitted the photograph.

All photographs downloaded from the HNL RareBirds™ website are strictly intended for personal use only. Any digital or physical reproduction, and/or re-posting, without our written consent is strictly prohibited.

Any person or entity, including news media outlets (print, television and online), who would like to use any of our photographs, must contact us by email to obtain written/email permission to use their photograph(s). If not, your actions constitutes copyright infringement, along with a lack of journalistic morals and ethics.

Any photograph that is posted on this website that was obtained from another source, will be acknowledged as such.

All photo usage inquiries can be made to: HNLRareBirds@gmail.com

Disclaimer

This HNL RareBirds™ website is not affiliated with any airline, corporate entity, the Daniel K Inouye International Airport, the Airports Division of the State of Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT-A), nor any other city, county, state or federal governmental agency.

We cannot promise, nor guarantee, that we will get every rarebird that passes through HNL (or Hawai‘i), but we will do our best to document and/or photograph each one that we do catch; as well as provide the most up-to-date, accurate information, and history about that aircraft.

We will do our very best to remain objective. However, any comments, views, and opinions expressed on a post, or on this website by an HNL RareBirds™ team member, belong solely to the person posting the item, and may not reflect the views of the entire HNL RareBirds™ team. Personal remarks, if any, will be duly noted as such, on that post as a separate paragraph.

We are also not responsible for any comments made by non-HNL RareBirds team members. They are solely their own opinions. However, ALL comments are screened when received. Comments sent anonymously may be deleted at screening. Any comments that we find offensive, derogatory, irrelevant, a solicitation, and/or spam shall be deleted at screening. The same applies to comments with hidden or irrelevant links.

Any questions and/or concerns can be sent to: HNLRareBirds@gmail.com