As Hawaiian Airlines celebrates its 90th year of service to the state of Hawai‘i and its people, an independent report has indicated the importance of the airline to the region, which in 2018 alone generated the equivalent of US$9.3 billion in economic benefit for the state and supported more than 60,000 jobs.
The analysis by ICF, a global consulting services company with expertise in aviation and other industries, examined the most recent publicly available full-year data to assess Hawaiian’s economic impact to its home state.
“Due to the State’s unique geography, HA (Hawaiian Airlines) provides a service to Hawai‘i that is unmatched anywhere else in the US and most of the world,” the report concluded. “The regional economy would be severely stalled without the airline’s inter-island, domestic and international flights.”
The airline was founded as Inter-Island Airways on 11 November 1929, today employs more than 7,300 people and operates more than 260 daily flights between the Hawaiian Islands and connecting Hawai‘i to the US mainland, Asia, Oceania and the South Pacific.
The report, which was commissioned by the airline, noted that in addition to direct benefits derived from visitor and employee spending, the airline generates regional employment and revenue through spending on daily operations, capital investments, and indirect spending by visitors and passengers.
Hawaiian economist Paul Brewbaker, who contributed to the report, noted, “Hawaiian Airlines’ 90-year history is the modern economic history of Hawai‘i, opening it to commerce and trade in services by connecting the islands with each other and the world.”
In addition to economic analysis, the report profiles five local entities that share their experiences about working with and using Hawaiian Airlines. Whether delivering perishable medical supplies, transporting high value cargo or flying students between neighbouring islands for athletic competition and community service opportunities, the airline is a cornerstone to quality of life for the islands’ residents.
“We take great pride in all we do to connect residents, businesses and families,’’ said Peter Ingram, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines. “We are proud to have been Hawai‘i’s airline for 90 years, and we intend to be here serving the needs of our home state for at least 90 more.”
