Ostrander

I live in Hilo on the BI, and don't usually fly on Hawaiian basically I find go! fares at around 20$ cheaper. The other day the fares were basically the same, so obviously to avoid the CRJ and go with the 712 out of HNL to Hilo. For a while I've associated HA with being warm and welcoming, especially out of Hilo. There are a few HA Check-in kiosks at ITO but there is also a line for both first/premier/elite and economy. For me I find the ability to talk to a CS rep useful especially when checking baggage to my final destination. (The check in kiosk won't let me do this because the ticket numbers are different, etc.)

I arrived at the HA departures lobby about 40 minutes prior to my flight (quite early for me on the interisland hops ) and was surprised to see the entire line of check in counters removed and replaced by two circular banks of check in kiosks. There was an agent herding people towards the machines. I was on a First class ticket, and after telling the agent I was simply there to drop off my bags, (used online check in) she kept telling me to use the machine. This is when I noticed the first class ticket counter, by the windows on the other side of the terminal. I headed over there only to be told "this line is for first class only!" I told her that I had a F ticket and I was finally allowed to drop off my bags.

In summation, what do you guys think of the "less people" and "more machines" concept at HNL?

saacman5033

I also associate HA with being warm and welcoming and my recent experiences in the HNL lobby have been somewhat in confirmation of that as I have had warm interactions with CS agents directing passengers at the kiosks.

The circular kiosks do seem to make things less personal though and I'm sure an experience like yours leaves a bad taste in the mouth more easily than under their old setup where they're doing less herding and more personal assistance.

Often1

Unfortunately labor is expensive and that translates into higher fares. More people means higher fares so one has to balance.

Same thing with fees for having a call center issue a ticket when it can be done online.

Don't feel bad, I checked luggage on an F ticket KOA-LAX the other day on UA and they won't talk to you at the F counter to put the tag on the bag until you've entered the data in the machine.

tonywestsider

The new HA check-in with circular kiosks at HNL is an utter mess. As a customer, you have to find the right check-in area to find where to go (e.g. International and Inter-island at one area, mainland flights at the other). This takes 10 minutes to do at 11:30 in the morning. If your booking was done by a travel agent, you can't use the kiosk, you must stand in line to see a live agent. The lines to see the agent in Y check-in were so long, that I waited another 50 minutes to check-in. You are basically waiting one hour at the check-in hall, once you find the correct one to check-in. Add to the chaos is the fact that the check-in for the SYD flight is NOT at the International Departures area but at the Mainland departures area. Customers standing in line started to complain, saying that they don't want to fly on HA again.

Ostrander

It seems like the experience at HNL for HA fliers is really hit and miss. I've noticed that HA has their interisland flights in waves that all leave around certain times so they can exchange traffic with their widebody flights, so during those peak times the Y lines are going to be awful. I've had several good experiences with HA prior to the consolidation of all their mainline and regional interisland flights departing from the same area.

Personally, I liked it better when everything was separate. It made more sense, if you were going inter island, to head to the inter island terminal. Now, I see a mixture of 717s and 767s at the interisland terminal with flights to PDX and LAS mixed among 30 minute hops to OGG.

LIH Prem

that sucks.

Maybe one day they will figure out how to support OLCI for anything besides a domestic all HA itinerary. If they really want to eliminate human contact to save money you might think that's a no-brainer.

-David

Toula

I'll admit that I always use the Sky Cap porters to do my checkin at Honolulu because I figure for $5 it removes any stress from my shoulders. Previously it was an even better way to go because it meant I could avoid the responsibility of doing the agricultural screening as they took care of that. I figure those guys are probably struggling financially.

I think the circular kiosks are probably going to be the next big thing at most airports. Qantas have done the same setup at Sydney and have to admit I am not a big fan.

Wonder how long it will be before we are asked to load our own bags on the plane and serve the meals to ourselves.

tonywestsider

Using Sky Cap porters is a great idea! ^ Either that or join the Premier Club and get priority check-in.