Hawaiian Airlines temporarily suspending its 'Ohana by Hawaiian flights
Hawaiian Airlines will temporarily suspend its 'Ohana by Hawaiian passenger flights and cargo services between Honolulu (HNL) and Moloka‘i (MKK) and Lāna‘i (LNY), beginning Nov. 1. The move leaves travelers with mobility limitations with one less way to travel between the Hawaiian islands.
Sign up for TPG's daily newsletter
Service between Honolulu and Kapalua (JHM) in West Maui has been suspended since March.
The airline announcement referenced multiple economic challenges stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, including furloughing 2,500 employees in the wake of the recently expired Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Payroll Support Program. Hawaiian Airlines also placed the blame for low travel demand on the state's quarantine restrictions, which impacted the carrier's ability to fully staff pilots for 'Ohana by Hawaiian service — a provision stated in the pilots' union contract.
Related: Is Hawaii open for travelers? A reopening guide
‘Ohana by Hawaiian, launched in 2014, provides the only wheelchair-accessible commercial air transportation between the Hawaiian islands, as well as cargo-only services.
Hawaii State Representative Lynn Decoite called the suspension “a health issue" for both Molokai and Lanai. “We cannot leave this on the side burner," Decoite said. "This has to be addressed so that we could give them accessibility.”
Related: Deal alert: Hawaii flights from the mainland from $256 round trip nonstop
Hawaiian Airlines CEO Peter Ingram said that the airline hopes to restore 'Ohana service as soon as inter-island travel demand recovers significantly. “While we are disappointed at being unable to avoid the service suspension, this is a difficult situation for both Hawaiian... as we navigate an incredibly challenging period, and we all remain committed to returning flights to communities that rely on ‘Ohana by Hawaiian.” However, the airline acknowledged that pre-pandemic travel demands are "unlikely to occur anytime soon.”
The union which represents Hawaiian Airlines pilots has agreed to lift the contractual provision if additional PSP funding is approved by the federal government and Hawaiian utilizes the stimulus stipend to bring furloughed employees back to its payroll.
Related: You are entitled to a refund for your canceled flight — even if the airline says you aren't
The airline said it has reached out to guests impacted by the suspension to offer refunds where needed.
Top offers from our partners
How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels |
| 1X | Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Rewards Rate
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels |
| 1X | Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro Offer
For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account openingEarn 80,000 ThankYou® points60,000 pointsAnnual Fee
$95Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent, Good
Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases