Pacific Wings Leaving Hawaii Next Month

Pacific Wings is pulling out of the Hawaii air travel market effective the middle of next month.

The commuter airline operates nine-seat Cessna Grand Caravan 208B turboprop planes at smaller airports around the state, including Ho`olehua and Kalaupapa on Molokai, Hana and Kahului on Maui, and Honolulu on Oahu.

It also serves two airports on Hawai‘i Island, including Kona and Waimea. According to its website, Pacific Wings offers five nonstop flights a day to Maui from Kona.

The airline also offers charter flight services, charter concierge and cargo and courier services.

According the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Pacific Wings’ last day of operations will be June 15.

In years past, Pacific Wings provided flights to Hilo airport but ceased serving east Hawaii after Go!/Mokulele Airlines initiated service to Hilo.

Founded in Nevada in the 1970s, Pacific Wings started offering flights in Hawaii in 1998 with headquarters based at the Kahului airport.

Its parent company, Pacific Air Holdings, has since relocated its headquarters to Mesa, Arizona, and has slowly withdrawn from the Hawaii market during the past few years.

Pacific Wings’ withdrawal comes amid other airlines seeking to expand their smaller plane fleets.

In February, Hawaiian Airlines announced it was expanding its turbo-prop flight service with the launching of its “Ohana” fleet of 48-passenger aircraft. Island Air also recently announced its plans to use larger turboprop planes.