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Hawaiian Airlines Ends Its ʻOhana by Hawaiian Service

Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines has ended its ʻOhana passenger and freighter cargo services – citing impacts caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The company made the announcement Thursday after assessing the operation and long-term viability of the branch.

Jon Snook, the chief operating officer for Hawaiian Airlines, said neither service ever generated profits, but their importance to the community was enough for the company to continue them.

Due to the pandemic, they were forced to suspend both the passenger and cargo operations.

"During that temporary downing of the aircraft, we had to take a look at that business and reassess whether or not it makes sense for us to restart that again," Snook said. "And we’re really doing that across our business, you know, we’ve been losing millions of dollars every day. And as we looked at that, we know that there’s going to be a very significant cost to restart the business – a multimillion dollar cost. And the chances of us turning a profit on it at any time in the future is unrealistic. So given all that, we’ve drawn the reluctant conclusion to indefinitely suspend service."

Snook said Hawaiian Airline employees will have an opportunity to be re-trained and transferred within the organization.

Mokulele Airlines is now the only carrier providing service between Honolulu and Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi.

Disclosure: Hawaiian Airlines is a corporate underwriter of Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

Casey Harlow was an HPR reporter and occasionally filled in as local host of Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
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