Aloha Airlines
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Founded | July 26, 1946 (as Trans-Pacific Airlines) Honolulu, Hawaii | ||||||
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Key people | David Banmiller (President & CEO) | ||||||
Founders |
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Website | alohaairlines.com |
Aloha Airlines was an airline in the United States that operated passenger flights from 1946 until 2008.
History
Propeller era
The airline was founded as charter carrier Trans-Pacific Airlines by publisher
In 1952, the airline reported its first annual profit, approximately $36,000.
Jet engine era
Aloha retired its last DC-3 on January 3, 1961, becoming the second airline in the United States to operate an all-turbine fleet. In 1963, the airline took delivery of two
In 1983, Aloha introduced its AlohaPass frequent flyer program.[11] In 1984, the airline leased a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30, and on May 28, inaugurated service with the aircraft between Honolulu, Guam, and Taipei under the name Aloha Pacific. The operation, however, was unable to compete with Continental Airlines, and was discontinued on January 12, 1985. In October 1985, Aloha acquired Quick-Change 737 aircraft that could be quickly converted from a passenger configuration to all-cargo freighter for nighttime cargo flights. In February 1986, Aloha began weekly flights between Honolulu and Kiritimati (Christmas Island), becoming the first airline to operate ETOPS approved Boeing 737-200s.
In late 1986, Ching and vice-chairman Sheridan Ing announced plans to take the company private after surviving hostile takeover bids,[12] and it remained in the hands of the Ing and Ching families until its emergence from bankruptcy in 2006, when additional investors including Yucaipa Companies, Aloha Aviation Investment Group, and Aloha Hawaii Investors LLC took stakes in the airline. In 1987, the airline acquired Princeville Airways, renaming Aloha IslandAir, which became known as Island Air in 1995. In 2003, Island Air was sold to Gavarnie Holding and became an independent airline.[13]
On February 14, 2000, the airline began mainland service, flying newly delivered
Aloha Airline's longest inter-island route was 216 miles (348 km), while the shortest route was a mere 62 miles (100 km). The average travel distance per inter-island flight was 133 miles (214 km).
Economic challenges
Rising costs and
Citing losses from a protracted fare war incited by inter-island competitor go! (operated by parent company Mesa Airlines) and high fuel prices, Aloha filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection again on March 20, 2008.[19] Ten days later, on March 30, 2008, Aloha Airlines announced the suspension of all scheduled passenger flights, with the final day of operation to be March 31, 2008.[20] The shutdown resulted in the layoffs of about 1,900 of the company's roughly 3,500 employees.[21] Governor of Hawaii Linda Lingle asked the bankruptcy court involved to delay the shutdown of Aloha Airlines passenger services, and forcibly restore passenger service;[22] however, federal Bankruptcy Judge Lloyd King declined, saying the court should not interfere with business decisions.[23]
After the shutdown of passenger operations, Aloha and its creditors sought to auction its profitable cargo and contract services division. Pacific Air Cargo acquired the division in 2008 for $2.2 million and operates it under the name Aloha Contract Services.[24][25][26]
Several companies expressed interest in purchasing Aloha's cargo division, including Seattle-based Saltchuk Resources, California-based Castle & Cooke Aviation, and Hawaii-based Kahala Capital (which included Richard Ing, a minority investor in the Aloha Air Group and member of Aloha's board of directors).[27] However, a disagreement between cargo division bidders and Aloha's primary lender, GMAC Commercial Finance, ended with the bidders dropping out of the auction.[28] Almost immediately afterwards, GMAC halted all funding to Aloha's cargo division, forcing all cargo operations to cease; at the same time, Aloha's board of directors decided to convert its Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization filing into a Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation.[28]
Saltchuk decided to renew its bid to purchase the cargo division at the urging of U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye, and a deal between Aloha and Saltchuk was struck and approved by the federal bankruptcy court, where Saltchuk would purchase the cargo division for $10.5 million.[29] The sale was approved by federal Bankruptcy Judge Lloyd King on May 12, 2008, with the sale expected to close two days later.[30]
Prior to its bid for Aloha, Saltchuk Resources was already present in Hawaii through its subsidiaries Young Brothers/Hawaiian Tug & Barge, Hawaii Fuel Network, Maui Petroleum and Minit Stop Stores. The company also owns Northern Air Cargo, Alaska's largest cargo airline. A new subsidiary, Aeko Kula Inc., was set up by Saltchuk to operate Aloha Air Cargo.
Name and intellectual property
In January 2011, Los Angeles-based Yucaipa Companies, the former majority shareholder of Aloha, won federal Bankruptcy Court approval to buy the Aloha name and other intellectual property for $1.5 million with a stipulation that it not resell the name to Mesa Air Group, the parent of go! Mokulele.[31] In 2009, Mesa sought to re-brand its go! planes as Aloha. But federal Bankruptcy Judge Lloyd King stopped the name change, following impassioned pleas from former Aloha Airlines employees who largely blamed Mesa for Aloha's demise.
Destinations
Prior to the shutdown of its passenger services on March 31, 2008, Aloha Airlines provided passenger service to/from the following destinations:
- Pago Pago (Pago Pago International Airport) twice weekly flight
- Kiritimati (Cassidy International Airport) one weekly flight, usually on Sunday mornings to connect Hawaii with Christmas Island
- Kwajalein (Bucholz Army Airfield) twice weekly flight, alternate stop via Majuro
- Majuro (Marshall Islands International Airport) twice weekly flight, alternate stop via Kwajalein
- Midway (Henderson Field) scheduled chartered flights, usually on Wednesdays
- Bob Hope Airport)
- Hilo (Hilo International Airport)
- Honolulu International Airport) Hub
- Kahului (Kahului Airport) Focus City
- Kailua (Kona International Airport)
- McCarran International Airport)
- Lihue (Lihue Airport)
- Oakland International Airport)
- Orange County (John Wayne Airport)
- Sky Harbor International Airport)
- Reno/Tahoe International Airport)
- Sacramento (Sacramento International Airport)
- San Diego (San Diego International Airport)
Aloha Airlines had codeshare agreements with the following airlines:
Fleet
Final fleet
At the time the Aloha airlines ceased operations, the airline's fleet was an all-737 fleet:
Aircraft | Total | Passengers | Routes | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
F | Y | Total | ||||
Boeing 737-200
|
13 | — | 127 | 127 | Hawaii Inter-Island | |
Boeing 737-700
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8 | 12 | 112 | 124 | US Mainland | |
Boeing 737-800
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1 | 12 | 150 | 162 | US Mainland (primarily Kahului-Sacramento) |
Leased from Transavia[34] |
Total | 22 |
Fleet development
As of March 2008, the average age of the Aloha Airlines fleet was 18.2 years.[35]
Previously operated aircraft types
Other jet aircraft previously operated by Aloha included the
The airline previously operated
Retired fleet prior to ceasing operations
Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
BAC One-Eleven Series 200AU | 3 | 1966 | 1969 | Transferred to Mohawk Airlines |
Boeing 737-100
|
2 | 1973 | 1978 | Transferred to Air California |
Boeing 737-3T0
|
3 | 1988 | 1993 | |
Boeing 737-300QC
|
2 | 1997 | 1997 | Transferred to America West Airlines |
Boeing 737-400
|
2 | 1992 | 1996 | |
Douglas C-47 Skytrain | 9 | 1946 | 1965 | |
Fairchild F-27 | 6 | 1959 | 1967 | |
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30
|
1 | 1984 | 1985 | Leased from Continental Airlines |
Vickers Viscount 745D | 4 | 1963 | 1971 |
Accidents and incidents
- On June 27, 1969, Honolulu International Airport.[38]
- On August 8, 1971, Honolulu International Airport when a fire broke out upon landing.[39]
- On April 28, 1988, metal fatigue. The 1990 made-for-television film Miracle Landing is based on this accident.[42]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Bernardo, Rosemarie (September 29, 2002). "Aloha Airlines starts on right flight path". Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
- ^ Wu, Nina (May 4, 2007). "United takes minority stake in Aloha". Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
- ^ a b c Gordon, Mike (April 8, 2008). "Post-war prejudice gave rise to Aloha 'The People's Airline'". ABC News.
- ^ a b Sigall, Bob (July 22, 2011). "Trans-Pacific Airlines became Aloha to appeal to tourists". Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
- ^ a b Kelly, Jim (March 31, 2008). "Aloha Airlines goes out of business". American City Business Journals.
- ^ Melendy, Brett. "The Competition for Trans-Pacific Air Routes to Hawai'i, 1945-1959" (PDF).
- ^ a b Gomes, Andrew (July 28, 1996). "Aloha Airlines celebrates 50th". American City Business Journals.
- ^ a b Burlingame, Burl (April 6, 2008). "Sky wars: The rise and fall of Aloha Airlines". Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
- ^ "Aloha Airlines pilots comment on pension issue". Star Bulletin. August 27, 2006. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- ^ timetableimages.com, Oct. 1, 1964 Aloha Airlines system timetable
- ISBN 9783832454647.
- ^ Lynch, Russ (September 24, 1999). "Entrepreneur soared with Aloha". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
- ^ Natarajan, Prabha (December 5, 2003). "Aloha Airlines sells Island Air; new owners promise expansion". American City Business Journals.
- ^ "Aloha Airlines Files".
- ^ "Where we Fly". Aloha Airlines. Archived from the original on April 6, 2007. Retrieved April 9, 2007.
- ^ "AlohaPass". Archived from the original on April 3, 2007. Retrieved April 9, 2007.
- ^ a b Vardi, Nathan (October 28, 2006). "The Company He Keeps". Forbes.
- ^ Blair, Chad (March 20, 2008). "Aloha Airlines files for second bankruptcy in 3 years, blames go! for losses". American City Business Journals.
- Seattle Times.
- ^ Segal, Dave (March 31, 2008). "Aloha Air shuts down". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Archived from the original on April 8, 2008.
- ^ "Lingle challenges Aloha shutdown in court". American City Business Journals. March 30, 2008.
- ^ Segal, Dave (April 1, 2008). "Ending service is Aloha's call, court says". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Archived from the original on April 5, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
- ^ "Lack of financing leads Aloha Airlines to shut down cargo division". The Economic Times. April 29, 2008.
- ^ Hrushka, Anna (March 15, 2018). "Pacific Air Cargo CEO Beti Ward dies". American City Business Journals.
- ^ "Aloha Contract Services". Aloha Contract Services. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
- ^ Segal, Dave (April 2, 2008). "Turbulent aftermath". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Archived from the original on April 5, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
- ^ a b Segal, Dave (April 29, 2008). "Bidders drop out and funding halts". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Archived from the original on May 6, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
- ^ Segal, Dave (May 2, 2008). "Return flight". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Archived from the original on May 6, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
- ^ Segal, Dave (May 13, 2008). "Court allows Seattle firm to buy Aloha's cargo division". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008.
- ^ "Aloha Airlines' name and assets sold". American City Business Journals. January 5, 2011.
- ^ "Island Air launches independent Maui-Kona service". USA Today. Associated Press. May 12, 2004. Retrieved May 1, 2008.
- ^ "Feel like you're flying by the seat of your pants? Sit back and relax with these tips". The Seattle Times. April 20, 2008. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
- ^ "Boeing 737-8K2 - Aloha Airlines (Transavia Airlines) | Aviation Photo #1324487 | Airliners.net".
- ^ "Fleet age Aloha Airlines". Airfleets aviation. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved March 19, 2006.
- ^ http://www.airliners.net, Aloha Airlines Boeing 737-300 and 737-400 photos in Hawaii
- ^ "Aloha Airlines fleet". aerobernie.bplaced.net. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
- ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved October 7, 2009.
- ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved October 8, 2009.
- ^ "Aloha Airlines Flight 243, April 28, 1988". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. April 27, 2018.
- ^ Hurley, Timothy (April 28, 2018). "Remembering Aloha Airlines Flight 243". Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
- ^ Ortega, Sergio (August 1, 1999). "Miracle Landing (Movie review)". airodyssey.net. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
- Young, Branden (July–August 2006). "Aloha Airlines: Ready to Protect Their Beachfront in Paradise". Airliners: The World's Aviation Magazine. Airliners Publications. pp. 35–39.
- Forman, Peter (2005). Wings of Paradise: Hawaii's Incomparable Airlines. Kailua, HI: Barnstormer Books. ISBN 978-0-9701594-4-1.
External links
- Aloha Airlines at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
- Aloha Airlines – Alohaair.com at the Wayback Machine (archive index) (has the earliest archives)
- Aloha Airlines Cargo at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
- Spirit of Aloha at the Wayback Machine (archive index) (inflight magazine)
- Planespotters.net: Aloha Airlines Fleet Detail
- Aloha Airlines to stop flying Monday; CEO calls it 'an incredibly dark day'
- Aloha Airlines Ending Passenger Flights KITV-TV
- Aloha Airlines cuts Pacific trips Archived December 9, 2004, at the Wayback Machine Honolulu Star-Bulletin
- Yucaipa outbids Hawaiian for Aloha Archived December 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Honolulu Star-Bulletin