Hawaiian Airlines Eliminates Widebody Route Amid Alaska Airlines Merger

The integration of the merger between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines is moving right along.

As Alaska continues to establish its dominance, Hawaiian has eliminated a widebody nonstop route.

With new ownership by Alaska Airlines Group, Hawaiian is tweaking its flight schedules. The carrier will no longer operate a flight between Honolulu and Austin, Texas. The flight is barely three years old and was launched in the wake of the pandemic.

Ostensibly, the flight was introduced to take advantage of the fact that Austin was a growing business and technological hub. But it never caught on.

Cutting Austin from its route network will allow Hawaiian to reallocate to a more thriving market. Speculation has centered on Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and a new route to Auckland.

Shifting widebody airplanes could also lead to more international routes. However many are concerned about the discontinuation of widebody service to such markets as Austin.

For the merged airlines, juggling fleet optimization with passenger needs remains a challenge. Although Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines said they would maintain separate brand identities, they could combine resources.

Still, is this union good for consumers?

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