NEW YORK, June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Travelers were treated with aloha at John F. Kennedy International Airport this morning as Hawaiian Airlines (NASDAQ: HA) launched nonstop daily service between New York City and Honolulu. Hula and live Hawaiian music greeted customers arriving for Hawaiian’s Inaugural Flight 51 – the first-ever daily nonstop service from JFK to Honolulu.

Hawaiian Airlines has also expanded its reach in the Eastern U.S. through new codesharing and frequent flyer reciprocity agreements with JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU). Beginning today, Hawaiian will place its HA code on select JetBlue-operated flights throughout the East Coast, and customers of each carrier’s frequent flyer program will be able to earn and redeem loyalty points or miles for travel on either airline.

“There’s no place like Hawai’i and for New Yorkers, there’s no better way to get here than Hawaiian Airlines,” said Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines. “Our great schedule, authentic aloha service and partnership with JetBlue will allow visitors to Hawai’i from all over the East Coast convenient access to their dream vacation.”

Hawaiian operates its new nonstop service out of JFK’s Terminal 5, JetBlue’s acclaimed home, with brand new wide-body, twin-aisle Airbus A330-200 aircraft seating 294 customers with 18 seats in First Class and the remainder in Economy Class.

Hawaiian Flight 51 departs JFK daily at 10:00 a.m. and arrives at Honolulu International Airport at 3:00 p.m. Flight 50 departs Honolulu daily at 3:05 p.m. and arrives in New York City at 6:55 the following morning.

The Honolulu arrival and departure times allow visitors to maximize their time in Hawai’i, landing in time to check into hotels and enjoy a first dip in the warm Pacific, or to make easy connections to the islands of Maui, Kaua’i or Hawai’i, the Big Island. The afternoon return to New York allows a leisurely final morning on the beach before making connections or checking in at Honolulu for the ride home.

Onboard, customers will enjoy Hawaiian’s signature “Hawai’i Flies With Us” hospitality, featuring entertainment and information that showcases Hawai’i’s culture and natural beauty, complemented by inflight service that reflects the warmth and caring that sets Hawaiian Airlines apart as the premier carrier of visitors to Hawai’i. They will also enjoy complimentary hot meals in all cabins, an amenity not offered on any other airline serving Hawai’i.

“Hawai’i is known the world over for its tremendous hospitality and we are careful to make sure that our service reflects that tradition,” Dunkerley explained. “Our customers should feel as if their Hawai’i vacation began the moment they set foot in our airplane.”

Hawaiian Airlines is celebrating the launch of its nonstop service with a number of events around New York City. The Hawaiian Airlines Liberty Challenge, the 16^th annual outrigger canoe race hosted by New York Outrigger, will take place on June 23 in New York City. Outrigger paddling, which is the official state sport of Hawai’i, provides New Yorkers with a unique opportunity to experience the city through its waterways. Hawaiian’s sponsorship of the Liberty Challenge supports NYO programs that educate New Yorkers about outrigger canoe paddling and its roots in Polynesian culture through participation in races, instruction, and educational initiatives.

The airline also welcomes New Yorkers to enjoy Hawai’i’s headliner entertainers at Pershing Square every Thursday throughout the month of June. Called “Pau Hana at Pershing Square,” the events echo the Hawai’i tradition of gathering for good food and fellowship after work (“pau hana,” literally translates as “finished work”). As an added benefit, Hawaiian Airlines will conduct a weekly drawing at the events for two round trip tickets to Honolulu on its new service.

About Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian has led all U.S. carriers in on-time performance for each of the past eight years (2004-2011) as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Consumer surveys by Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and Zagat have all ranked Hawaiian as the top domestic airline serving Hawaii.

Now in its 83rd year of continuous service, Hawaiian is Hawaii‘s biggest and longest-serving airline, as well as the largest provider of passenger air service from its primary visitor markets on the U.S. mainland. Hawaiian offers nonstop service to Hawaii from more U.S. gateway cities (11) than any other airline, along with service to Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, American Samoa, and Tahiti. Hawaiian also provides approximately 170 daily jet flights between the Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA). Additional information is available at HawaiianAirlines.com. Follow updates on Twitter about Hawaiian (@HawaiianAir) and its special fare offers (@HawaiianFares), and become a fan on its Facebook page (Hawaiian Airlines).

Contact:
Keoni Wagner (808) 838-6778
Keoni.Wagner@HawaiianAir.com

SOURCE Hawaiian Airlines