Hawaiian Airlines Seeks to Fast Track Tokyo to Kona, Honolulu Route

File photo by Wendy Osher.

Hawaiian Airlines is pushing to have its application to provide split services between Honolulu, Kona, and Haneda Airport in Tokoyo, Japan approved.

The company’s request went to the United States Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Fox.

On Thursday afternoon, the company announced that it filed a motion on Wednesday noting that its the only applicant for the single available night-time frequency to serve Haneda Airport that will be available to United States airlines when a February 2016 agreement between the U.S. government and Japan takes effect later this year.

“It is long-standing DOT practice to grant an airline route when no other airlines are competing for the same limited opportunity,” said Mark Dunkerley, president and Chief Executive Officer of Hawaiian Airlines. “When you couple the lack of other applicants with our demonstrated knowledge of the Japanese market, it is clear that granting Hawaiian the right to operate this lone night-time slot from Haneda to Kona and Honolulu is in the best interest of the United States and the traveling public.”

Honolulu and Kona service would be the second Haeda route operated by Hawaiian. The flights would join Honolulu to Haneda daily service that began in November 2010.

In the filed motion, Hawaiian pledged to initiate service to Honolulu four times a week once the amendment takes effect, along with service from Haneda to Kona three times a week.

Governor David Ige, Hawai’i County Mayor Billy Kenoi, and Hawai’i’s Congressional Delegation have supported the expansion.