Why Hawaiian Airlines just ferried most of its planes to the mainland -- without passengers
It's not often that you see a mass exodus of jets from a certain location.
In the wee hours after the Super Bowl ends, you typically see a slew of private jets departing from the airport closest to the stadium. When the coronavirus caused demand for air travel to plummet, airlines sent their planes en masse to storage hangers throughout the southwest.
And when a hurricane is about to hit its main hub, Hawaiian Airlines prudently sent most of its jets far out of harm's way.
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If you've been wrapped up in coronavirus coverage, you might've missed that Hurricane Douglas is forecast to barrel through the Hawaiian Islands with wind speeds that are currently 90 miles per hour. The National Hurricane Center predicts damaging winds, flooding rainfall and dangerously high surf for much of the Aloha State.
The Category 2 hurricane is expected to make landfall around the night of July 26 and will likely cause damage to areas within its path.
And that path gets dangerously close to Hawaiian's main hub, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu. So, in preparation, Hawaiian moved 54 of its 62 jets out of harm's way.
The airline operates three different types of aircraft -- the Airbus A321, Airbus A330 and Boeing 717. These jets could easily get damaged during the hurricane, especially since Hawaiian doesn't have enough indoor hangar space for its entire fleet.
Related: 5 reasons to fly Hawaiian Airlines to Hawaii
Plus, according to Vice President of Flight Operations Bob Johnson, the hangars can only withstand winds of up to 130 miles per hour. Although Hurricane Douglas isn't that strong, moving the fleet is a necessary precautionary measure.
The Boeing 717 is the inter-island workhorse for Hawaiian. Johnson mentioned that these single-aisle jets would be stored in Kona on the big island of Hawaii since the projections show that it should be the most protected from the storm.
Plus, the airport has "big runways, big taxiways and can hold a lot of airplanes so that factored into our decision," Johnson told Hawaiian news outlet KITV. Additionally, flying nonstop to the mainland would be just at the high end of the range for the Boeing 717.
The Airbus A321 and A330 are the jets that primarily fly the airline's international and mainland routes. They have the range to easily make it to the mainland, and that's exactly where Hawaiian sent them.
Related: What will Hawaiian fly between the islands after the 717 retires?
Both fleets are currently spread across the West Coast. The Airbus A321s are in Oakland, Portland and Sacramento. The Airbus A330s are sitting in Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland and San Francisco. Two A321s and six A330s were still in Honolulu as of press time and are likely locked up in the hangars there.
This is the first time since 1992 that Hawaiian Airlines has moved its planes en masse. Twenty-eight years ago, Hurricane Iniki, a Category 4 storm, became the most powerful hurricane to strike the state of Hawaii, and the airline got its planes out of harm's way. And now, as if 2020 couldn't get any worse, the airline has to do it all over again.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.