In an acceptance ceremony held in Toulouse, France (TLS) today, Hawaiian Airlines accepted its first Airbus A330-243, N380HA (msn 1104), "Makali‘i". N380HA is being leased from CIT Leasing.
The ceremony, which was streamed live on the Airbus website, showed Kahu Aaron Mahi blessing "Makali‘i", HA CEO Mark Dunkerley and Airbus COO John Leahy untying a maile lei at the entry door, as well as Hawaiian entertainment. The event's culminating moments were the signing of the agreement with Dunkerley, Leahy, and CIT Leasing's Jeff Knittle; and the exchange of gifts between Hawaiian Air, Airbus, CIT, and Rolls-Royce.
In the above copyrighted photo by Airbus, Hawaiian Air CEO Mark Dunkerley (with N380HA in the background) delivers his address prior to dinner. A big mahalo to Hawaiian Air & McNeil Wilson Communications for sharing this photo with us, and the permission to post it.
8 comments:
Anyone know when Makali'i is scheduled to arrive in HNL?
From Yahoo News:
The new A330 is scheduled to arrive at Honolulu International Airport on the morning of May 3, after which the aircraft and its flight crews will undergo the preparations needed to start service on the Honolulu-Los Angeles route in early June.
Not a bird name this time. Makali'i is the Hawaiian's word for the constellation that English-speakers call the Seven Sisters or that in Latin was called the Pleaides.
Booooooo to Hawaiian Airlines for going to the FRENCH for all these Airbuses. Support BOEING!!!
Yup! We'll see how long this lasts. I understand they are getting lots of new aircraft...good luck on financing all of this!
Don't pass on these costs to the locals...
I too am annoyed with choosing a French airplane. Maybe the State of Hawaii wants us to spend our tourist $$$ in Paris instead of Hawaii?
The good thing is that the French planes have such a short life expectancy that they won't last too long.
Dave
N380HA just arrived here in Seattle.
Dave.. I too am with you on the subject of HAL buying these FRENCH airplanes. They should be ashamed of themselves for buying/supporting a non-US product in Airbus!
Also like the other commenter said-passing on the cost of these airplanes to the locals would be a disgrace IMO!
..and yah-you're right, the life-expectancy of an Airbus has proven to be shorter than others...hence the real name "SCAREBUS"
Auwe!
Aloha,
Russell
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