Originally Posted by
tonywestsider
Also, there were stories somewhere that the 717's BMW/RR engines overheated because of short stage flying and quick turnarounds, much quicker and shorter than other inter-island routes so I suspect HA wanted to unload the route as fast as possible.
Wouldn't be surprised, if true.
If my interisland history is still pono (somebody correct me if I'm off):
After HA retired the Dash-7s, they flew to MKK and LNY with the DC-9, but eventually entered into a codeshare with competitor Mahalo Air so they could pull the DC-9s out of those airports. Today's equivalent of that move would be HA entering into a codeshare agreement with go!...not that I see that happening anytime soon
.
In any case, Mahalo Air went out-of-business, which then stuck HA with having to restart DC-9 flying to MKK and LNY lest they wanted to cede all that business to Aloha (via Island Air). So back to the DC-9s it was (and eventually 717s) until Island Air was spun off from Aloha, and HA was then able to initiate what is now the existing codeshare with Island Air. I suspect the HA/WP arrangement will end some time this calendar year once HA's ATR operation is up-and-running.
While the ATRs will initially be deployed to MKK/LNY and eventually JHM (IMO), I wonder if their presence may eventually open up "new" flying back to MUE and/or HNM?