<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">This whole analysis is ridiculous</font>
Why thank you. Controversy is a great thing. There is a fine line between being cautious of info and being cynical, however...
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">and the demand is not there for interisland service without connections from mainland travelers.</font>
Yes, and well, you should read the point made about more direct flights from the mainland to neighbor islands. Travelers don't want to stop in HNL if there's a more economically feasable non-stop option, and there is. So what if there's only 8 people on an HA flight -- they're not going to make money, yes, but there are many other factors that play into this interisland situation than just supply and demand -- Econ 101 in college should have taught us that long ago.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The interisland market also has to supply a steady stream of passengers for the airlines to make an investment. There is not a consistent steady stream without the connections from the mainland flights. The locals won't pay the reasonable costs to operate these routes. That is a fact.</font>
Well noted. More people traveling directly to the neighbor islands means less people connecting via HNL means higher prices means lower demand.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In the end I think what will happen is that the routes will become subsidized by the state. There is definately a need for interisland travel, no doubt.</font>
Not with this legislature and I'm sure not with many to follow. This is why the HI State Legislature has looked to alternative measures. Federal gov't playing in is a different story.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">They bought the higher priced and lower fuel efficient extended B767. The B717 is a great short flight airplane because of its excellent fuel efficiency, low noise, low pollution and far less maintenance than the worn-out DC-9-50 it replaced. Fuel costs aint that much difference from elsewhere, and actually some people have stated it should be cheaper in HI as it is closer to the well head.</font>
This only describes HA -- can the problem be solely based on HA's purchase of new planes... perhaps. But not completely. Fuel costs have also risen throughout the world, that also plays in.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">has *FREE* internet access for Hawaii residents and for a fee for others who cant show local residency</font>
Yes, but HI ranks as one of the lowest for internet wired computers at public libaries per 5,000 people:
http://www.lrs.org/documents/fastfacts/171pcs5k.pdf Any way you cut it... there
are people out there who are disadvantaged by it and others who have very little knowledge of using the internet and who can't do anything but go to a HA or AQ counter to purchase a ticket. It's a huge concern of a few state legislators. Knowledge is also power -- many are not aware of this online advantage.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">When UA wanted to fly inter-island the HA and AQ chiefs went running to their senior senator to have it quashed. </font>
This would be
Your Senior Senator as well... Inouye.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">They succeeded and the Hawaii residents are paying dearly for it…….day after day.</font>
No argument there... HI residents don't physically 'pay' for it anymore, they just don't fly and gripe about it as much as possible.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">I would love to see Southwest start service in Hawaii.</font>
I'd argue that Mahalo Air, Discovery and Mid-Pacific all started a low fare interisland service a long time ago... but they're no longer with us. SWA's model might work in Hawai'i, but it has a long way to go to work against HA and AQ, the dominance and winning the appeal of the kama'aina.
aloha
[This message has been edited by slippahs (edited Feb 22, 2004).]