Hawaiian Airlines Begins All-Cargo Neighbor Island Service

Hawaiian Airlines celebrated the launch of all-cargo service between Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Līhu‘e Airport (LIH) and Hilo International Airport (ITO) on Monday, Aug. 13, 2018, by transporting construction and household supplies to support disaster relief projects in Hanalei on Kaua‘i and Puna on the Island of Hawai‘i.

(L to R) Brad Matheny, managing director of cargo operations at Hawaiian Airlines, Brent Overbeek, senior vice president of network planning and revenue management of Hawaiian Airlines, Peter Ingram, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, Steven Ai, president and CEO of City Mill, Brandee Menino, CEO of Hope Services Hawai‘i, Stephen Spears, executive director of Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity, staff with Hawaiian Airlines sales team who donated school supplies. Courtesy photo.

Hawaiian’s new ATR-72 aircraft was loaded with 1,020 pounds of construction tools bound for Līhu‘e to be used by Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity in repairing homes for low-income residents affected by last April’s devastating storms. A second flight to Hilo carried 1,815 pounds of furniture for 20 micro-houses built by HOPE Services Hawai‘i to shelter families affected by the ongoing Kīlauea volcano lava flow. The items were packed by employees at City Mill, which augmented Hawaiian’s list with its own donations. Also aboard the flight from Honolulu to Hilo were 23 boxes of school supplies collected by Hawaiian employees and being delivered to Pāhoa Elementary.

“We are honored to utilize our new cargo operation to help support our neighbors in need,” said Peter Ingram, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines. “We couldn’t think of a better partner in this effort than City Mill, another long-time kama’aina company.”

City Mill employees packed 50 boxes of items provided at a discount by the O‘ahu home improvement retailer.

“My grandfather liked to quote an old Chinese saying: ‘When you drink water, remember the source,’” said Steven Ai, City Mill president and CEO. “Our success comes from the community and even though we’re not on the islands of Kaua‘i or the Big Island, we believe we need to help all those who live in the state of Hawai‘i.”

The Līhu‘e shipment expands Hawaiian’s partnership with Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity, established with an initial $25,000 cash donation after torrential storms displaced residents on Kaua‘i earlier this spring. The new partnership with HOPE Services Hawai‘i builds on Hawaiian’s earlier contribution of $50,000 to support the Salvation Army’s emergency shelters set up in Puna in the wake of Kīlauea’s recent eruption.

“We are so grateful for the generosity of Hawaiian Airlines and City Mill,” said Stephen Spears, executive director of Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity. “We provided a long ‘wish list’ of materials, from face masks to jigsaws, and we can’t wait to unpack the boxes and continue making critical home repairs during the long road to recovery island wide.”

“We appreciate the support of Hawaiian Airlines and City Mill in their donation of supplies that will be used to furnish the temporary emergency micro-shelters in the Puna community,” said Brandee Menino, chief executive offer of HOPE Services Hawai‘i.

New Cargo Operation

Hawaiian’s new cargo fleet, consisting of two ATR-72 aircraft in an all-cargo configuration, offers customers efficient shipment of goods throughout the state with well-timed connections from the airline’s mainland and international networks. The ‘Ohana by Hawaiian freighter operation will also include flights between HNL and Kahului Airport (OGG) and Kona International Airport (KOA) with the arrival of two more aircraft expected to be in service next year.

“The ATR-72s enable us to meet the cargo needs of our customers and businesses while streamlining and growing our shipping operations throughout Hawai‘i and beyond,” Ingram said at a news conference inside the company’s Charles I. Elliott Maintenance and Cargo Facility, the Honolulu hub of its cargo business.

Hawaiian’s ATR-72s can also accommodate up to seven LD-3 containers, the same type carried by aircraft flying Hawaiian’s transpacific routes, allowing the airline to transfer cargo more seamlessly
between the islands and destinations in Asia, the South Pacific and the U.S. mainland. The cargo fleet is operated by Empire Airlines, which also operates ‘Ohana by Hawaiian’s four 48-passenger ATR-42 fleet serving the communities of Kapalua (Maui), Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i.

“We are excited to offer our customers a ‘one-stop-shop’ for all their cargo needs,” said Brad Matheny, managing director of cargo services at Hawaiian Airlines. “The ATR-72 is the perfect aircraft to get the job done and symbolizes our continued dedication to our community as Hawai‘i’s hometown carrier.”

The new ATR-72 service complements bulk freight and containerized shipping Hawaiian provides on over 70 scheduled transpacific daily flights with Airbus A330 and A321neo, and Boeing 767 aircraft.

The airline’s Boeing 717 fleet, which flies approximately 170 daily flights between the Neighbor Islands, will continue to provide express shipments throughout the state.

Hawaiian Airlines became the first U.S. carrier to obtain a cargo certificate on March 20, 1942, when it converted amphibious Sikorsky S-38s into cargo aircraft to transport beef from Moloka‘i to Honolulu, while using S-43s as freighters servicing other islands. Hawaiian has provided transpacific shipping for over 75 years. For more information, visit online.