A range of non-profit agencies across Hawaii will benefit from the gratitude of Hawaiian Airlines and its employees throughout 2019 with a company-matched employee giving program celebrating the airline’s 90th year of service.
The selected charities align with Hawaiian’s four giving pillars: education, health and human services, environment and culture, and each of the charities are recognised stewards in their fields.
Hawaiian Airlines introduced commercial air services to Hawai’i in 1929 and recognised that milestone by commencing a company-wide pledge program the day after its 89th birthday this month on November 12.
When employees donate to any Aloha United Way affiliated charity, as well as the Polynesian Voyaging Society, the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, and the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust; the airline will match the first $90,000 raised. After just one week, employees and members of the company’s Board of Directors had already pledged $59,000, or $118,000 when matched by the airline.
The special anniversary drive is being held throughout the year. Donations and the corresponding company match will be provided to the charities monthly beginning in February 2019.
“We are very proud of our legacy as Hawaii’s first airline, and I am extremely proud of the generosity and aloha our 7,200-strong employee ‘ohana demonstrates on a regular basis and particularly during the inaugural week of our charity drive,” said Peter Ingram, Hawaiian Airlines president and CEO.
“Pledges came from every department across our company. I am certain we will reach our goal, and I look forward to it.”
The 90th year of service fundraiser is in addition to $300,000 in sponsorships and grants Hawaiian provides annually through the company’s Team Kōkua giving the program and another $100,000 distributed by the Hawaiian Airlines Foundation. So far this year, the company has provided 4.5 million miles in matching donations to 12 Hawai‘i non-profits participating in the Hawaiian Miles Charities program, while Team Kōkua volunteers have logged more than 8,000 hours helping non-profits throughout Hawaiian’s route network.
Today, Hawaiian welcomes an average of 32,000 passengers on a single day – over 11.5 million residents and visitors annually – with a modern fleet of 65 aircraft operating in a robust network of neighbor-island, U.S. mainland and international flights connecting the Hawaiian Islands to destinations stretching from New Zealand to Japan and New York, and Boston from April 2019.
Over the course of its history, Hawaiian has carried nearly 279 million passengers to, from and between the Hawaiian Islands.
