Hawaii-based Airlines - Republic (Mokulele), Mesa (go!) Form Joint Venture: E-170s Gone As of November

Discuss.

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20091013006546&newsLang=en

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Republic Airways Holdings (NASDAQ: RJET) today announced that it had reached an agreement with Mesa Air Group to form a joint venture (“JV”) to combine the jet routes currently flown by both Mesa and Republic. Under the agreement, E170 routes currently operated by Republic Airways will be transitioned to jet service provided by Mesa Airlines. The three E170 aircraft will be returned to the mainland by November and will operate in Republic Airways’ branded network.

All passengers holding tickets on Shuttle America operated flights will be reaccomodated on flights operated by Mesa.

Another sad day in Hawaii aviation history.

The website http://mokuleleairlines.com/ has been updated to reflect the new "partnership".

Another news article from Honolulu's Pacific Business News:

Mokulele, go! to combine operations

http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2009/10/12/daily20.html

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20091013/BREAKING03/91013067?source=rss_breaking

Conflicting story, which seems to say that the E170 service will cease tomorrow, at least based on my quick read of it.

Imagine the irony. You're working for Aloha, Aloha folds much in part to go!'s anticompetitive tactics, you're hired by Mokulele which you think will give you a fresh start in a new airline with a good number of your former co-workers, and then nearly a year later, you find that you're now working for that very same airline that took down your former airline. That sounds rather messed up. But that's all contingent of course on whether go! will even hire any MW workers...

Edit: Advertiser just updated its article to say that the E170s will return to the Mainland in Nov.

Looks also like MW is closing the Ali'i lounges. Wow, another :td: ; hope those who purchased memberships can get their cash back easily.

Wow... this is sad...

Had the opportunity to fly MW in August... nice hop OGG-HNL, and cheap price, plus my AS miles finally posted (after mailing in documentation)...

Sad to see this happen to MW... [Wasn't MW using many from AQ, so now those former AQ and MW employees report to YV... :(]

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20091013/BREAKING03/91013067?source=rss_breaking

Conflicting story, which seems to say that the E170 service will cease tomorrow, at least based on my quick read of it.

Imagine the irony. You're working for Aloha, Aloha folds much in part to go!'s anticompetitive tactics, you're hired by Mokulele which you think will give you a fresh start in a new airline with a good number of your former co-workers, and then nearly a year later, you find that you're now working for that very same airline that took down your former airline. That sounds rather messed up. But that's all contingent of course on whether go! will even hire any MW workers...

Edit: Advertiser just updated its article to say that the E170s will return to the Mainland in Nov.

Looks also like MW is closing the Ali'i lounges. Wow, another :td: ; hope those who purchased memberships can get their cash back easily.

Ali'i lounges too... :(

AS is having a decent presence in OGG... perhaps they can secure that lounge space for cheap @:-)

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20091013/BREAKING03/91013067?source=rss_breaking

Conflicting story, which seems to say that the E170 service will cease tomorrow, at least based on my quick read of it.

Imagine the irony. You're working for Aloha, Aloha folds much in part to go!'s anticompetitive tactics, you're hired by Mokulele which you think will give you a fresh start in a new airline with a good number of your former co-workers, and then nearly a year later, you find that you're now working for that very same airline that took down your former airline. That sounds rather messed up. But that's all contingent of course on whether go! will even hire any MW workers...

Edit: Advertiser just updated its article to say that the E170s will return to the Mainland in Nov.

Looks also like MW is closing the Ali'i lounges. Wow, another :td: ; hope those who purchased memberships can get their cash back easily.

I was just thinking that too. I can imagine all the pissed off former AQ now Mokulele...err go! employees right now (if go! even hires any MW workers). I guess the former AQ employees hired by HA are the real "lucky" ones.

Also looks like go! will still use the commuter terminal...freeing up the MW gates at the interisland terminal. I expect HA to make a move on those gates immediately creating more space for 767 operations beyond gate 60 and 61.

Damnit! I went out of my way to purchase Mokulele flights (and not go!) for my trip in December, only to find out I'm giving in to the man in the end :(

Damnit! I went out of my way to purchase Mokulele flights (and not go!) for my trip in December, only to find out I'm giving in to the man in the end :(
I know, it's an awful bummer... and they've got you from canceling the tickets. Although I wonder if you can argue that your flight has essentially been canceled and you should be entitled to a refund (this argument makes sense to me since you're no longer on the flight you booked).

Well...looks like HA's stock (maybe Mesa and Republic's too) is going to soar tomorrow. Guess I better buy more HA shares. :rolleyes:

Sorry, after hearing this news when I got home tonight, I need a quick pick me up.

I never got around to flying MW's 170s - haven't been traveling much of late. Wish things could've turned out differently - hard to imagine a CRJ-200 is a better aircraft for our routes than a 170!

I never got around to flying MW's 170s - haven't been traveling much of late. Wish things could've turned out differently - hard to imagine a CRJ-200 is a better aircraft for our routes than a 170!

Well they still are flying so a quick run to HNL might be in order then... fast though!

Imagine the irony. You're working for Aloha, Aloha folds much in part to go!'s anticompetitive tactics, you're hired by Mokulele which you think will give you a fresh start in a new airline with a good number of your former co-workers, and then nearly a year later, you find that you're now working for that very same airline that took down your former airline. That sounds rather messed up. But that's all contingent of course on whether go! will even hire any MW workers...

A story sadly repeated over and over again in today's airline industry...

Of course, we the passengers LOVE the low, low fares that these "low cost" airlines offer. So, some of the finger-pointing has to be back at ourselves...

Damnit! I went out of my way to purchase Mokulele flights (and not go!) for my trip in December, only to find out I'm giving in to the man in the end :( So freaking true. Mokulele had the better planes, better seats, with assignments, better staff and customer service all to fold into the very same rivals that caused Aloha to fold. Prices will go up, customer service will fall and Hawaiian will be laughing all the way to the bank.
It sucks. Really Really Sucks.
Especially with my upcoming 3 weeks in Hawaii flying island to island on the now evil, untrustworthy, always late, pilots sleeping at the wheel, no aloha airline known as go!Mokulele.

Maybe Island Air will boost operations again in response.

Wow, I'm absolutely flabbergasted at this news. Now I'm still trying to visualize the branding and operations from this. Is this JV going to result in a combined air carrier operating CRJs and Cessna Caravans or is this JV going to result in what Republic is doing in some of its other operations (eg Midwest vs. Frontier), that is to retain two separate brands, in other words, go! flying their CRJs and Mokulele back to flying Caravans? This is so messed up.

63 Mokulele Airlines employees furloughed

Local Honolulu TV news article/news video at:

http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/21995/40/

Many of the Mokulele employees are former Aloha workers. One woman, who did not want to be identified, said in just a year and a half she's been laid off by Aloha and Hawaiian Airlines and now furloughed by Mokulele. Others share her pain.
It's just a tough time to be in the airline industry (and many other industries)... Sigh.

Well that's it... KGMB reporting the final Mokulele jet flight tonight.

Well that's it... KGMB reporting the final Mokulele jet flight tonight.

:(

First AQ now MW...

Will there be any MW coded flights anymore operated by YV?

Saw the last one (KOA-HNL) go out last night at work. They were parked next to our gate. Many of my colleagues from AQ took a job with Mokulele last year. Sadly, they must go through all of this again.

It was very sad on the ramp. It stirred many memories up.

From local Honolulu newspaper today...
Passengers face delays following merger of go! and Mokulele airlines

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200910151655/BREAKING03/91015070

From local Honolulu TV news last night (includes TV news video)...
Passengers Fly on Last Mokulele Airlines Flight

http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/21997/40/

Maybe Island Air will boost operations again in response.

Bradda,I hope so. More flights to Kapalua pLease.

day 2 of go Mokulele "merger"...

From local Honolulu TV news...

go Mokulele works through computer issues...asking passengers to be patient
(news video included)

http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/22053/40/

Unfortunately the most profitable routes flown by Mokulele WERE the Caravan flights.... but I'm glad to see they are keeping those flights intact, too bad they can't get the 3 Dorvin Caravans back and restart JHM an LNY.

I'm trying to understand all of this from a potential customer point of view. I'm not a customer with any of these carriers however, I did a test of the Mokulele website, which is now the go!Mokulele website. The route map on the Mokulele website now shows the go! routes and the Mokulele routes that I assume were operated by Caravans are now Mokulele charter. I did a test to book an MKK-KOA flight. The Mokulele booking engine took me to Mokulele Caravan flights that were scheduled flights and not charter. Then I went to the go! website. go! is advertising this new partnership. However, the go! route map shows go!Mokulele routes as the former go! routes. Other routes are go!Express, which are Island Air routes and not the Mokulele charter routes. Then I went to the Island Air website. Their route map shows their most current services, which are less than what is shown on the go!Express route map of the go!Mokulele website. Then I also noticed that there is no mention of go! on the Island Air website as a partner carrier or some kind of codeshare carrier, yet you can book Island Air (goExpress) flights on the go!Mokulele website. Now I'm confused. Frankly, I am having trouble with what's being represented as this partnership transitions to reality. Between 3 websites, the most straightforward information seems to be coming from Island Air. I know YV are not part of the partnership but I am curious about what's being represented on the go! and go!Mokulele website.

Bradda,I hope so. More flights to Kapalua pLease.

I agree with you. I think it will bring more increasing the flight from OGG/HNL. I cna't personally that MW will be cease operations. So it wasn't doing quite very well due to globalization economic situation. As for next year in 2010 if the economic will have more recoverable and must to comeback into the business.

Any idea what those of us with Mokulele reservations should do? I have some flights booked for December via Expedia. Expedia isn't showing any itinerary changes and I can't find any place on Mokulele's website to prove that these flights even exist.

Is MW still operating the E70s or not? I'm very confused. If they are I plan on buying a ticket or two for next weekend. If not I'll likely pass. They are definitely still publishing/selling as though they are operating the planes, but posts here have November or last week as the end of operations.

:confused:

According to HNL Rare Birds blog website October 15, 2009 (http://hnlrarebirds.blogspot.com/), unfortunately Mokulele E-170's are being prepped for ferry flight back to Shuttle America headquarters in IND.

Actually aircraft N868RW departed HNL on 10/16/09 ferry HNL-OAK-IND with the next two E-170's following in the next few days.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/TCF9400

Aloha 'oe to MW E-170's.

According to HNL Rare Birds blog website October 15, 2009 (http://hnlrarebirds.blogspot.com/), unfortunately Mokulele E-170's are being prepped for ferry flight back to Shuttle America headquarters in IND.

Actually aircraft N868RW departed HNL on 10/16/09 ferry HNL-OAK-IND with the next two E-170's following in the next few days.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/TCF9400

Aloha 'oe to MW E-170's.

...was just looking up flightaware right now to find them too...
Surprised the 170's had the legs to go nonstop (http://flightaware.com/live/flight/TCF9400/history/20091016/2232Z/PHNL/KOAK) HNL-OAK... :eek:

...was just looking up flightaware right now to find them too...
Surprised the 170's had the legs to go nonstop (http://flightaware.com/live/flight/TCF9400/history/20091016/2232Z/PHNL/KOAK) HNL-OAK... :eek:

I think they remove some seats and install temporary extra fuel tanks for the ferry flight.

I think they remove some seats and install temporary extra fuel tanks for the ferry flight.

Ah ok... and get a special exemption from ETOPS?

IIRC when they were delivered, they went thru ANC even... guess they are shipping the seats back...

Ah ok... and get a special exemption from ETOPS?
Yeah...no ETOPS issues when there are no passengers on board.

So I'm understanding that MW is completely done and there are no more E70s to fly, right?

the Mokulele website now shows the go! routes and the Mokulele routes that I assume were operated by Caravans are now Mokulele charter....the go! route map shows go!Mokulele routes as the former go! routes. Other routes are go!Express, which are Island Air routes and not the Mokulele charter routes....the Island Air website....shows their most current services, which are less than what is shown on the go!Express route map of the go!Mokulele website...there is no mention of go! on the Island Air website

I'm a bit confused too, but it was my understanding that Island Air was its own entity and never had anything to do with Mokulele or Go! ('express' or not).

Yeah...no ETOPS issues when there are no passengers on board.

So I'm understanding that MW is completely done and there are no more E70s to fly, right?

It looks like that's the case with the 170's... none flown interisland for the past several days on flightaware... :(

Didn't realize the ETOPS was not a requirement with no pax...

Not sure what is going on with the caravans though...

I'm a bit confused too, but it was my understanding that Island Air was its own entity and never had anything to do with Mokulele or Go! ('express' or not).

I think YV was using MW for a while for its smaller interisland travel on their caravans (codesharing), but with the entry of the 170's, that Po'd off YV... so YV changed its codeshare to WP for those smaller flights...

Welcome to the confused club. go!Express claims that they fly to x number of routes as operated by Island Air. At the same time, Island Air refuses to acknowledge this arrangement, yet the go! website enables Island Air flights to be booked. There is no evidence of a codeshare or partnership arrangement of any kind.

Welcome to the confused club. go!Express claims that they fly to x number of routes as operated by Island Air. At the same time, Island Air refuses to acknowledge this arrangement, yet the go! website enables Island Air flights to be booked. There is no evidence of a codeshare or partnership arrangement of any kind.

That is weird then... guess YV is just acting as a 'travel agent' for WP flights then :(

YV just needs to go! ;)

Heard from HA Premier Club lounge attendant in HNL this afternoon that HA is thinking about taking over the MW lounge in HNL. Of course this is just speculation and no official confirmation from HA. But if true then for real the interisland terminal should be renamed the Hawaiian Airlines Terminal....just my opinion.

I think YV was using MW for a while for its smaller interisland travel on their caravans (codesharing), but with the entry of the 170's, that Po'd off YV... so YV changed its codeshare to WP for those smaller flights...
Under the new agreement, MW caravan flights are the same as before but now with the YV codeshare coding.

Clicking the fleet page is disturbing :(

http://mokuleleairlines.com/Our%20Fleet.html

Clicking the fleet page is disturbing :(

http://mokuleleairlines.com/Our%20Fleet.html
At the very least, the Caravans are still listed there. If it were all go!, screw "joint venture," it's a merger.

At the very least, the Caravans are still listed there. If it were all go!, screw "joint venture," it's a merger.

I know... at first I didn't see the caravans... and thought Oh S@$^!

But the CRJ's are predominately displayed there...

That is weird then... guess YV is just acting as a 'travel agent' for WP flights then :(

YV just needs to go! ;)


Then, all you would be complaining about how HIGH the interisland airfares are!

Then, all you would be complaining about how HIGH the interisland airfares are!

No... then the AAG can bring QX to the islands :p

This was a real mess for me on Saturday. Had an outbound on Mokulele HNL-OGG. No phone call or email whatsoever. Showed up to check-in at a loooooooong line at the counter. Didn't see my flight number on the screen, and after inquiring, found out I was now on a flight about an hour and a half later than originally scheduled. Very frustrating to say the least. For my return OGG-HNL today...got a phone call a couple days ago advising me of the change and offering either a refund or new flight options. No problem there.

The one thing that really made me angry for the HNL-OGG leg was that I immediately asked for a refund as I was going to walk over to Hawaiian and book a walk-up fare. I was told by the Go! (Mesa) employee that they weren't able to do that at the counter and that I'd have to call the reservations department. Lame.

That said...the Go! flights weren't terrible. 20 minutes in a CR2 isn't the best way to spend 20 minutes...but perfectly acceptable. Drinks are CHEAP. And they have "happy hour" where beers are $1.50 (everything is $1 off as far as I could tell).

No... then the AAG can bring QX to the islands :p

I don't THINK so! QX is NOT a low-cost carrier.

Mokulele seems to be the latest victim of the Airliners magazine curse - they're profiled in the current issue.

former Mokulele Airlines E-170 aircraft N870RW bid "Aloha" to the islands today for ferry flight HNL-OAK-IND but looks like the E-170 turned around and air returned to HNL about 1-1/2 hours after departure. I guess this E-170 just didn't want to leave the islands. No info on status of aircraft N869RW.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/TCF9400

former Mokulele Airlines E-170 aircraft N870RW bid "Aloha" to the islands today for ferry flight HNL-OAK-IND but looks like the E-170 turned around and air returned to HNL about 1-1/2 hours after departure. I guess this E-170 just didn't want to leave the islands. No info on status of aircraft N869RW.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/TCF9400

:D

N870RW is the bird I flew OGG-HNL - good for it refusing to leave the islands ^ :p

looks like Mokulele Airlines E-170 aircraft N870RW (aka "The Spirit of Aloha") may have finally left the islands today.
Flightaware shows ferry flight TCF9400 arrived in OAK about an hour ago.

Aloha 'oe N870RW.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/TCF9400

looks like Mokulele Airlines E-170 aircraft N870RW (aka "The Spirit of Aloha") may have finally left the islands today.
Flightaware shows ferry flight TCF9400 arrived in OAK about an hour ago.

Aloha 'oe N870RW.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/TCF9400

Were they all named "The Spirit of Aloha" or just N870RW?

Sad to see it gone... decent A/C...^ (although it had some rust on its wings)

I believe N868RW was named "The Spirit of Kauai" and N869RW was named "The Spirit of Oahu".

looks like the last Mokulele Airlines (Shuttle America) E-170 aircraft N869RW (aka "The Spirit of Oahu") left the islands today as ferry flight TCF9400 HNL-IND via OAK.

Flightaware shows ferry flight TCF9400 arrived in OAK about 4 hours ago.

Aloha 'oe N869RW.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/TCF9400