Hawaiian Carriers Revamp Seating

World Airline News, Jan 22, 1999

Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines [HA] this week announced plans to reconfigure their aircraft to attract the business traveler with added first-class seating. Aloha's changes include installing four additional seats to the carrier's current six to eight seats in first class. In addition, the airline will remove two rows of economy seats in its fleet of 18 Boeing 737s to accommodate a two-inch increase in the space around each seat.

Modifications are being made in the evenings when planes are grounded. The new configurations are expected to be complete by the second quarter of this year. A softness in Hawaii's economy has businesses "doing something to provide better service for our customers," said Aloha's Stephanie Ackerman. In order to remain competitive in this market, Hawaiian also will reconfigure its DC-9-50 fleet to accommodate eight first-class seats and 125 coach seats. Previously, the carrier offered 139 all- economy seating. The fleet is expected to be completely reconfigured by the end of March. Hawaiian sees its inter-island premium product as "the last piece to complete our product line," according to Hawaiian spokesperson Keoni Wagner. The carrier acquired two DC-9s, enabling it to make the new configuration installations without sacrificing the "net gain of coach seats," said Wagner. "(A better class of service will give Hawaiian) more access to higher-yielding passenger traffic." >>Ackerman, 808/836-4172, Wagner, 808/838-6778<< The Envelope Please: OAG Announces Airline Awards Washington D.C., London and Hong Kong simultaneously set the scene Jan. 19 for the 1999 OAG Airline of the Year Award, which saw Emirates win the overall best airline category for a second year in a row. Runners up include Singapore Airlines, which took the silver and Air Canada, which took the bronze. But, don't cry for Singapore - the carrier took the gold in 11 other categories. The Airline of the Year Award is the air transport industry's premier global award. Results are based on 20,000 votes cast by OAG Worldwide's frequent flying subscribers. All airlines, irrespective of size, compete on an equal level.>> OAG, 312/649-0371<<

Results of the 1999 OAG Airline of the Year Awards
Select Categories                                  Airline
Global
Best Europe to Asia Pacific Airline                Singapore Airlines
Best Trans-Pacific Airline                         Singapore Airlines
Best Trans-Atlantic Airline                        Virgin Atlantic Airways
Best Short Haul Economy Class                      Singapore Airlines
Best Long Haul Economy Class                       Singapore Airlines
Best Short Haul Executive/Business Class           Singapore Airlines
Best Long Haul Executive/Business Class            Virgin Atlantic Airways
Best First Class Service                           British Airways
Airline of the Year                                Emirates
By Region
Best European Airline                              British Airways
Best African Airline                               South African Airways
Best Middle Eastern and
 Indian Sub-Continent Airline                      Emirates
Best North America
  Domestic Airline (short haul)                    Air Canada
Best Caribbean, Central
  and South America Airline                        Varig
Best Pacific Airline                               Qantas
Best Asian Airline                                 Singapore Airlines