A brand new period for Hawaiian Airways because it launches Dreamliner service: TPG was on the inaugural

It is a massive second for Hawaiian Airways.

After years of anticipation, Hawaiian formally launched service Monday aboard its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner — and TPG was on board the inaugural flight.

It is a day that is been within the making since 2018, when the Honolulu-based service first positioned an order for a dozen of the brand new jets. Following a multi-year delay, the airline lastly took supply of its first Dreamliner in February, clearing the way in which for takeoff and showcasing beautiful new interiors.

Hawaiian has an choice for an additional eight planes, and the deliveries will open up extra of the world to the service.

Hawaiian Airways Flight 12, Hawaiian’s Dreamline inaugural flight, left Daniel Okay. Inouye Worldwide Airport (HNL) at 1:18 p.m. and arrived at San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) at 9:20 p.m.

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It was a enjoyable day taking within the inaugural flight festivities and flying aboard this brand-new Boeing jet. There have been reside music and hula dance performances whereas excited workers handed out leis to passengers.

It isn’t solely the brand new planes that make this an thrilling time for the 95-year-old airline: The brand new jet is one half in a sequence of huge modifications for Hawaiian within the coming years.

Alaska Airways and Hawaiian Airways introduced in December that they might mix in a merger that would depart each manufacturers standing, however with Alaska holding a controlling stake. The mixed airline can even be a part of the Oneworld alliance, which Alaska joined in early 2021.

Associated: Why the Alaska-Hawaiian merger may very well be a win-win for frequent flyers

Hawaiian’s rising fleet

Hawaiian has had a protracted anticipate its Dreamliners. The twelfth jet is not anticipated till 2027, and the airline has choices for an additional eight. Extra broadly, the order caps a giant transfer for the Hawaiian, which had relied on Airbus for its long-haul fleet since phasing out the Boeing 767 in 2019.

The 787 order (initially for simply 10 planes) was first positioned in March of 2018, although deliveries at the moment are simply three years not on time.

Hawaiian’s medium- to long-haul fleet consisted of Airbus A330s and Airbus A321neos.

For now, the airline shall be flying Dreamliners totally on routes between Hawaii and California and Arizona. Hawaiian will use the Dreamliner on its day by day Honolulu-San Francisco service. Moreover, choose flights between Honolulu and each Los Angeles and Phoenix will see Dreamliner service beginning subsequent month. Hawaiian plans to begin Dreamliner service from Maui’s Kahului Airport (OGG) to LA starting Sept. 8.

Finally, it is doable the 787s may very well be used on longer routes to cities like Sydney doubtlessly and even New York Metropolis. Beneath is the present long-haul map for Hawaiian flown by A330s, as displayed by aviation analytics agency Cirium.

“Our 787-9 is a real flagship product that, when paired with the award-winning hospitality of our crew, will present friends with an unforgettable Hawaiʻi journey expertise,” Peter Ingram, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airways, mentioned in a press launch touting the launch.

The Hawaiian Airways Dreamliner

All of Hawaiian’s 787-9s could have Hawaiian names primarily based on the celebrities and constellations that Polynesian navigators sailed by. The jet that flew Hawaiian’s inaugural to San Francisco is dubbed “Kapuahi,” which is the Hawaiian phrase for the star referred to as Aldebaran in Western astronomy. The aircraft bears the tail quantity N781HA.

Throughout preflight bulletins, flight co-pilot Mary Ann referred to as out the plane’s title, saying: “(The) star the aircraft is known as after seems within the Pacific sky. She’s stunning inside and outside.”

Hawaiian already took supply of a second Dreamliner earlier this month with the ship quantity N780HA. The planes have room for 300 passengers, they usually increase gas effectivity, vary and capability as in comparison with Hawaiian’s current fleet of wide-bodies.

The dual-aisle Dreamliners have 34 business-class suites in a 1-2-1 configuration unfold throughout seven rows. Enterprise class options an all-new, suite-style Adient Aerospace Ascent seats that may also be discovered on some Qatar Airways’ jets. Hawaiian gave me a fast look earlier than boarding.

You may learn all in regards to the new enterprise class on this article from my colleague Eric Rosen, who bought a have a look at a press unveiling again in March.

I wasn’t fortunate sufficient to snag a seat within the all-new enterprise class cabin: It was utterly bought out. Nonetheless, I used to be excited simply to be on a brand-new aircraft for this inaugural. In any case, the coach cabin was stunning, too, with 266 Collins Aerospace Aspire seats.

I used to be assigned seat 33F, one of many 79 seats on this aircraft which are bought as Additional Consolation seats. After I checked in on the Hawaiian Airways app, there have been few seats left to select from (except for a number of center seats within the first part of the principle cabin for an additional $4). I caught with my bulkhead seat within the first row of the second cabin within the again.

Additional consolation seats have 4 further inches of pitch, extra legroom and AC shops. Certainly, my seat within the aisle bulkhead within the center three seats had a whopping 56 inches of pitch after I measured from the again of the seat to the bulkhead.

It was 35 inches from the entrance of the seat to the bulkhead.

There are a complete of 266 seats within the again in an ordinary 3-3-3 configuration besides within the again and on the bulkheads, the place there are a number of units of two-seat rows.

The seats themselves are material and are well-padded regardless of the thinness of the seat. I like the turquoise coloring. Mixed with the gentle tropical colours of the ceiling cabin lighting, it gave an up to date tropical vibe.

My seat padding was higher than I anticipated. I by no means bought sore regardless of sitting for about 5 hours complete.

The truth is, the thinness of the seats helps it really feel roomier even when you find yourself sitting within the narrower bulkhead seats. My seat measured 17 inches throughout, however the nonbulkhead coach seats measure a little bit wider at about 17 and a half inches.

The adjustable headrest was a pleasant contact and allowed me to relaxation in a number of totally different head positions throughout flight. The recline of the seat was very shallow. I would not wish to be on this seat for an in a single day flight.

All coach seats have both a 12-inch seatback monitor or a monitor stowed within the armrest (for bulkhead seats). Additionally, there are USB-A and USB-C charging ports within the displays.

There are additionally two mounted common electrical shops beneath every set of three seats within the Additional Consolation part.

A big number of new-release motion pictures was obtainable for viewing, together with “Barbie,” “Ferrari” and “Previous Lives,” in addition to a number of Japanese and Korean movies. I ended up watching a captivating documentary referred to as “Waterman” in regards to the famed Olympic swimmer and native Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku.

The opposite notable factor within the cabin was the temper lighting mentioned to replicate the various skies of Hawaii.

There have been 5 loos within the heart of the coach cabin house in entrance of row 33 in addition to one other restroom within the very again of the aircraft. There was hardly ever a line through the flight, they usually had been stored clear all through the journey.

I appreciated the coconut-scented liquid hand cleaning soap by Celeste Industries within the loos. Plus, every time the lavatory doorways had been shut, there was Hawaiian music taking part in contained in the restroom.

One disappointing word is that there was no Wi-Fi onboard. Hawaiian simply launched free high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi on choose A321neo plane that it operates on California flights. Sadly, there will not be Wi-Fi on the Dreamliners for a while. Hawaiian mentioned it might “set up and activate antennas on all its 18 A321neo plane by spring, adopted by its A330s by the top of the yr, and later its new flagship plane, the Boeing 787-9.”

That is annoying for a brand-new aircraft.

Additionally, remember that there are not any air nozzles or gasper vents on the aircraft, so it is as much as flight attendants to maintain the cabin cool.

A festive departure from HNL

There have been no indicators or balloons or any sort of fanfare on the Terminal 1 check-in counters at HNL; nevertheless, the boarding gate greater than made up for it with conventional Hawaiian music and a celebratory air.

Test-in on the airport was remarkably freed from any signage for the massive day, although I did mark the event alone.

The inaugural departed from A4 in HNL’s new concourse, which incorporates gates A1 by way of A12. The concourse, which opened in 2021, options 230,000 sq. ft and may accommodate six wide-body or 11 narrow-body gates. You would inform one thing massive was occurring.

AvGeeks like me took copious quantities of photographs and movies of the brand new Dreamliner parked simply outdoors the gate.

Plenty of passengers particularly booked the inaugural, hoping to expertise Hawaiian’s milestone 787 flight.

“After they introduced the inaugural, I mentioned I needed to be on that flight,” Raymond Centeno, a software program developer who lives in Union Metropolis, California, mentioned. “Folks thought I used to be loopy I flew in Saturday simply to take the inaugural,” he instructed TPG. “I booked my ticket as quickly because it was launched on the web site.. it was years within the making with the delay. I wasn’t certain when it might occur, however the day has lastly come.

On the gate, the Hawaiian Airways Serenaders sang and performed devices for about half an hour earlier than boarding ceremonies absolutely kicked off.

This was adopted by a efficiency from a male and a feminine hula dancer who had the gang on the gate buzzing.

A little bit later, there was a prayer ceremony adopted by a proper Hawaiian blessing.

Lastly, it was picture op time. Pilots for our flight — in addition to different pilots participating within the inaugural festivities — snapped photographs utilizing the Dreamliner as a background.

Boarding started with preboarding for passengers who wanted additional time.

As passengers moved towards the boarding doorways, Hawaiian workers greeted each passenger with “Aloha,” earlier than inserting a lei round every particular person’s neck.

All passengers had been handed a commemorative bag tag honoring the inaugural Dreamliner flight. The steel tag had a word from Hawaiian explaining the importance of our Dreamliner: “Kapuahi, or ‘sacred hearth,’ is the title of a purple big star that is likely one of the 15 brightest stars within the sky. Its fiery gentle shines forth as the attention of the bull within the constellation Taurus, a beacon to navigators who journey by indicators seen and unseen.”

Onboard Hawaiian Airways flight 12

Boarding was a bit hectic because the aircraft was nearly utterly full.

There have been a number of completely happy passengers in addition to some who had been simply confused by all of the fuss.

Many passengers weren’t conscious that it was an inaugural flight; this included the lady sitting subsequent to me in seat 33E, who was touring again along with her household after a keep on the Disney Aulani Resort in Honolulu. I talked to a different couple, who quizzed me about bank card factors after they came upon I labored for TPG.

The flight was utterly full, however everybody was in an excellent temper.

We finally left the gate about quarter-hour after our 1:05 p.m. scheduled departure time. Passengers on HA 12 additionally bought to see the service’s new inflight security video. In it, 57 solid members, all Hawaiian Airways workers and members of the family, give security directions from places all through the Hawaiian Islands.

Taxiing took about half an hour. There have been no water cannons on departure, however teams of Hawaiian Airways workers waved because the Dreamliner taxied to the runway. We took off about 13 minutes late for our four-hour, 21-minute flight to San Francisco.

About 40 minutes after departure, flight attendants introduced carts by way of the cabin with meals on the market. Gadgets included basic and youngsters’s snack bins for $8, candy potato chips for $8.50 and Mananalu water in souvenir Hawaiian Airways reusable aluminum bottles for $5 every.

I purchased the “Made in Hawaii” snack sampler for $10.50. It included chocolate Carmel popcorn, Choco Mochi and two varieties of packaged macadamia nuts, amongst different treats. I used my Hawaiian Airways® World Elite Mastercard®, and naturally there was a bank card provide onboard as properly for as much as 65,000 Hawaiian Airways miles. Too dangerous I have already got the private and enterprise variations.

After some noticeable clear-air turbulence, which the 787 dealt with superbly, flight attendants served a light-weight snack (at no cost). All passengers bought a hen sausage, mozzarella, Alfredo sauce, and Parmesan herb bagel roll. It was extra like a scrumptious scorching pocket, nevertheless it hit the spot. In fact, I needed to strive some scrumptious POG juice (passionfruit, orange and guava juice.) Passengers additionally bought to select from a number of free drinks, together with Coke merchandise. As a particular deal with, flight attendants additionally gave out Kohana Mai Tai cocktails to those that wished one. They usually promote these onboard for $8 bucks.

Passengers additionally bought to select from a number of free drinks, together with Coke merchandise. As a particular deal with, flight attendants additionally gave out Kohana Mai Tai cocktails to those that wished one. They usually promote these onboard for $8 bucks.

Service was wonderful on this inaugural flight, as you’d anticipate. I discovered the 9 flight attendants pleasant and useful. Even after the meal service, they got here by steadily with bottled water to supply passengers cups of water.

About an hour earlier than touchdown, flight attendants handed out pineapple-shaped cookies from Honolulu Cookies.

Arrival at SFO

I used to be a little bit disillusioned there have been no water cannons, decorations and even acknowledgments when the inaugural landed in San Francisco. We arrived at Harvey Milk Terminal 1, and no balloons or workers had been ready to greet us both. We arrived at our gate B55 about 25 minutes late and waited about 20 minutes to deplane.

It wasn’t the arrival I might hoped to have, however all in all, it was nonetheless an incredible flight.

Backside line

What a blast celebrating a brand-new Dreamliner for Hawaiian Airways. I am so excited to see how these new planes are deployed after they show their mettle on flights to and from California and Arizona.

Hawaiian ought to have three 787-9s by the top of the yr, with a number of extra deliveries occurring by way of 2027.

The planes are well-designed and cozy (even in coach), and the brand new enterprise class is a sport changer for Hawaiian Airways. Service was wonderful aboard this inaugural, and I am excited to fly extra long-haul Hawaiian flights sooner or later.

If the pending merger with Alaska Airways is accredited, it’ll add all kinds of fascinating alternatives for this Oneworld Emerald member. I am excited to see what’s subsequent for Hawaiian.

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