Hawaiian Airlines will explore the possibility of operating to a second Australian gateway should its expanding Sydney operation perform well.
President and chief executive Mark Dunkerley told Travel Today that a new Australian route has previously appeared on a list of potential new destinations “without ever being on the verge” of being launched.
But it could be back on the radar, he said.
“We would certainly look at a new gateway but key to that is how well the new frequencies and larger aircraft are received in Sydney,” Dunkerley said. “Australia is an important destination for Hawaiian. I would hope to launch into a new Australian gateway.”
Hawaiian increased its Sydney services from five weekly to a daily frequency in mid December, raising capacity by 40%.
In May — “possibly sooner”, said Dunkerley – the carrier will then replace its 264-seat B767 aircraft with 294-seat A330s, a move that will increase capacity by a further 11%.
Loads between Sydney and Honolulu are operating at around 90% with yields “pretty good”.
“There has been some firming of pricing,” Dunkerley said.
He added that the launch of flights to New York from Hawaii in June will provide a good alternative for Australians heading to the US east coast.
