Delta Air Lines' N531DN

Delta Air Lines' Team USA-liveried A350-941, N531DN (msn 755, f/n 3531), made a diversion to HNL early this morning, as it flew from LAX to MEL as DAL11. It's not known when this A350 will continue on. This is N531DN's first appearance at HNL.

02 October 2026 UPDATE

N531DN continued onto MEL as DAL9887.

San José State Spartans Team Charter

The San José State Spartans have chartered an Alaska Airlines 737-9 for their road trip to play the Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors. N963AK (c/n 44069, l/n 8553) arrived from SJC as ASA9677, and will remain at HNL. The Spartans and the 'Bows will be playing for the Dick Tomey Legacy trophy.

03 October 2026 UPDATE

The Spartans returned to SJC with the Dick Tomey Legacy trophy in hand, as they held off the Rainbow Warriors with a 20-16. N963AK departed shortly before midnight as ASA9677.

Virgin Australia Regional's VH-E2E

Virgin Australia Regional is taking delivery of VH-E2E (msn 19020236). This E190-E2 is making its delivery flight from SJK to PER, with stops at BGI, OPF, TUS, KOA, NAN, AND BNE, as VOZ9943. The overnight KOA stop will be tonight.

Aloha Airlines' N751AL

Closing out the Aloha Airlines tribute in our quarterly "HNL RareBirds Classic" feature, is Aloha Airlines' 737-7Q8, N751AL "Aukele" (c/n 30674, l/n 1511, f/n 751), seen above climbing out from a Runway 8R departure.

30674's History:

Jun 2004: Delivered to Aloha Airlines as N751AL "Aukele", under lease from ILFC.

May 2008: Leased to Sun Country Airlines as N751AL.

Oct 2008: Leased to Lucky Air as B-5246.

May 2014: Acquired by AerCap, and the lease transferred.

Nov 2016: Leased to Trans Air Congo (TAC) as TN-TAC.

Jly 2018: Leased to IBEX Air Charter as T7-IBX.

Apr 2019: Leased to LAM Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique as C9-BAR.

Mar 2022: Sold to Aergo Capital, the lease transferred.

Nov 2024: Withdrawn from service, and stored at MPM [Lourenço Marquez International Airport, Maputo City, Mozambique].

Mar 2025: Ferried to CDT [Costa Azahar Airport, Castellón de la Plana, Valenciana, Spain] for storage.

Apr 2025: Re-registered as M-ABTR.

PERSONAL NOTE

I rode on N751AL in October 2004 from SNA to HNL, as AAH442. It was a very steep departure out of SNA, as the pilots began throttling up after making the turn from the taxiway leading to Runway 2L. We headed toward the mountains before turning around to head to HNL. On final approach to Runway 8L, the pilots had to make a go-around because the 737 was too high for the approach. The second time was a success. Hard to believe that it was 22 years ago.

Singapore Airlines And DHL Express Extend Partnership

Singapore Airlines and DHL Express announced today that they are extending their partnership that includes five 777-Fs, and the airline's responsibility to crew and maintain the freighters. The length of the extension was not disclosed. This means we will continue to see Singapore Airlines 777-Fs, co-branded with DHL, here at HNL with the SIA74xx flight codes.

Republic of China F-16Vs Continue Home

After training with the Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 199th Fighter Squadron "Hawaiian Raptors", the first two F-16Vs, 6727 (s/n 21-1107 / VN-7) and 6728 (sn 21-1108 / VN-8), for the Republic of China's Air Force is making their way from HIK to RCQS [Chihhang Air Base, Taitung, Taiwan], with a stopover at UAM. A KC-135R, 59-1455 (c/n 17943, l/n T0358) from the Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 203rd Air Refueling Squadron is accompanying the Vipers on the HIK-UAM segment, flying as HOKU81.

The pair of F-16Vs arrived at HNL on 20 August with a US Air Force KC-135R. They had been flying training sorties with the 199th's F-22A Raptors during its time here.

Koninklijke Luchtmacht's T-056

A Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Netherlands Air And Space Force) A330-243 MRTT, T-056 (msn 1919), is making a stop at HNL from ROW today as MMF85. It's operated by the RNLAF for NATO's Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF).

30 September 2026 UPDATE

T-056 departed this morning heading southwest for YAMB.

C-GJWS

Banc of America Leasing is ferrying C-GJWS (c/n 34152, l/n 1714), a 737-8CT, from TUS to TNA, with stops at KOA and SPN. This 737 will undergo freighter conversion at TNA.

C-GJWS's History:

May 2005: Delivered to Westjet Airlines with fleet number 802.

Apr 2026: Withdrawn from service, returned to lessor, and stored at TUS.

ATSG Sells Omni Air International

CH-Aviation reports that Air Transport Services Group announced that they have sold Omni Air International to OAI Holdings. The terms of the sale of the Tulsa-based charter company were not disclosed.

Omni has had a long presence at HNL and HIK. The airline had long run as the charter airline for Vacation Hawaii's LAS flights. Omni also does charters for the US government, and college football team charters.

Alaska Airlines Hedges On 737-10 Certification

Reuters reports that Alaska Airlines is expecting that the Boeing 737-10 will gain its FAA certification by the end of September. No official word from the FAA has been made as of yet. The airline plans to take delivery of the first of 22 737-10s early next year, with induction into service by May. Another 30 737-10s are expected deliver in 2028. Nothing was mentioned by Alaska Airlines as to which routes the 737-10s will be placed on.

The FAA has delayed certification of the 737-10 due to new issues found with the 737MAX flight management system.

According to Alaska Airlines' Media Center, the 737-10 fleet will wear the global livery that their 787-9s are painted in.

Qantas Airways' VH-OQL

Qantas Airways' A380-842, VH-OQL "Phyllis Arnott" (msn 074), made a diversion to HNL while en route from LAX to SYD as QFA12. An on-board medical emergency was the cause of this pre-dawn diversion to HNL. This A380 is parked at Gate C9.

30 September 2026 UPDATE

VH-OQL is scheduled to continue onto SYD as QFA7012 this morning.

Boeing's N779XX

Boeing's 777-9 testbed aircraft, N779XX (c/n 64241, l/n 1574), is returning to KOA, from BFI, for test flights as BOE2.

03 October 2026 UPDATE

N779XX returned to BFI as BOE2 this morning.

Amazon Prime Air's N7019K

Hawaiian Airlines has taken delivery of N7019K "Bluegrass" (msn 1359) today. This A330-343F, owned and operated for Amazon Prime Air, made its delivery flight from CRK to CVG, with an overnight stop at HNL. It will fly with an Alaska Airlines flight code and callsign.

This A330 was ferried from SHA to CRK for storage following its freighter conversion.

Coulson Aviation's N131CG

Coulson Aviation's N131CG (msn 382-4901) is making a stop at JRF as it heads to Australia for their summer aerial firefighting season. This EC-130Q flying from TRM to XRH, with stops at SMX, JRF, and APW, as CUL131.

N436YV

N436YV (msn 436), a Dash8-202 Q200 owned by Berry Aviation, is making a stop at KOA from HYI [San Marcos Regional Airport, Austin, TX], via CCR today.

436's History:

Jun 1996: Delivered to Mesa Airlines as N436YV, assigned fleet number 436, to operate as United Express.

Dec 1997: Assigned to operate for America West Express.

Jly 2003: Assigned to operate for United Express.

Apr 2010: Assigned to operate for US Airways Express, and given the fleet number MDJ.

Aug 2012: Acquired by the Avmax Group.

Jan 2013: Leased to LC Perú.

Dec 2017: Leased to Amaszonas Aereas Línea as CP-3092.

___ 2020: Painted in the new livery with "Nueva Santa Cruz - Cíudad Inteligente" special decals.

Dec 2022: Returned to the Avmax Group as N436YV, and stored at YYC.

Jan 2026: Sold to Berry Aviation.

Sep 2026: Ferried from YYC to HYI, via GTF.

28 September 2026 UPDATE

N436YV departed for KWA this morning.

Virgin Australia's VH-8VK

Virgin Australia is taking delivery of VH-8VK "Woolamai Beach" (c/n 67048, l/n 9811). This 737-8, built at PAE, is making its delivery flight from MLB (following IFE enhancements) to BNE, with stops at ONT and KOA, as VOZ9947. VH-8VK was scheduled to make its delivery flight on 24 September, but was canceled and delayed because of Hurricane Nolo.

Asia Pacific Airlines' N922TS And N931AB

Two interesting posts appeared on our Instagram feed from the "aviation.rs_video" page, that features reels featuring Asia Pacific Airlines' two 757-200Fs stored at SFB. Both N922TS (c/n 24845, l/n 300), a 757-260F, and N931AB (c/n 30339, l/n 896), a 757-231 still in the Uzbekistan Airways base livery, are seen in deteriorating conditions.

N922TS last flew for Asia Pacific in July 2022. N931AB was acquired in July 2022 as well, but only ferried to SFB, and never underwent freighter conversion. In checking the FAA registration database, N922TS remains registered to Aero Micronesia (Asia Pacific's parent company), while N931AB's registration has been canceled.

N342WS

N342WS (c/n 34272, l/n 2449), a 737-8EH owned by World Star Aviation, is ferrying from TUS to TNA, with stops at SDM, SBD, JRF, and GUM. The stops at SDM and SBD were diversions, with some maintenance done at the latter. This is World Star Aviation's second former GOL 737-8EH to stop through Hawai‘i this month headed for freighter conversion at TNA.

34272's History:

Nov 2007: Delivered to GOL as PR-GTW, under lease from GECAS.

Jan 2008: Subleased to Varig, operated by GOL, and registered as PR-VBL.

Jan 2011: Sold to Investec, and the lease was transferred.

Nov 2013: Sold to Goshawk Aviation, and the lease was transferred.

Aug 2014: Returned to GOL, and painted in the GOL livery.

___ 2017: Sold to World Star Aviation,  and the lease was transferred.

Jun 2021: Painted in the current livery.

Oct 2024: "Rio Grande do Sul" and "Conheça o Brasil Voando" decals applied on the fuselage.

Apr 2025: Withdrawn from service, and stored at CNF.

May 2025: Ferried to TUS for storage.

China Southern Airlines' B-229K

China Southern Airlines is taking delivery of their second 737-8 in as many days. B-229K (c/n 43581, l/n 9836) is making its delivery flight from BFI to CAN, with overnight stops at HNL and GUM as CSN5682. This is also China Southern's 12th 737-8 delivery this year.

Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors Team Charter

The Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors football team is chartering a Hawaiian Airlines A321-271N, N230HA "Wauke" (msn 9547, f/n 230) for their road game Saturday against the Wyoming Cowboys. The 'Bows are flying as ASA9681 to DEN, with a stop at OAK. Hawai‘i will be defending to retain the Paniolo Trophy, which is the rivalry trophy that dates back to the Western Athletic Conference era.

N230HA will remain at DEN to bring the Rainbow Warriors home.

27 September 2026 UPDATE

The Rainbow Warriors returned home aboard N230HA, without the Paniolo Trophy, suffering a 27-10 loss.