Yea Iahphx, the demand for FULL FARE Economy AND First class seats was 100% at least for the weekend of 4/4-4/6. While the availability was 0.1% All flights departed at maximal capacity on all airlines destined for the mainland.

The WN agent and I weren't searching for "deals" we were searching for seats and there simply were none. While your route formula would have been great if I was in the continental US. The rate limiting step in this scenario was getting from HI to the mainland.

I knew if I got to the west coast WN would get me home on one of there many flight but again the rate limiting step was getting from HI back to the states. And yes I looked for KOA, OGG, HNL, Hilo, LIH flights back to mainland. And so did the WN agent. It wasn't about cost, it was about availability. And yes the WN agent checked with all the consolidators kayak, expedia, travelocity etc. The result=no seats, even at Full Fare, and legacy carriers were specifically telling WN that they were not overbooking. Full fare tickets, economy and first class: NOT available. Except for those HOU or ORD flights that I mentioned earlier which were horrible alternatives. I guess WN could have spent 1800/person to send us on those flights but we would have had to fly 5 segments to get back to SFO and "Throwaway ticketing" was not a practice that WN could in good conscience support.

Specifically for that weekend 4/4-4/6, the availability of First & Econ were:
Hawaiian: SOLD OUT
Alaska: SOLD OUT
American: SOLD OUT
Continental: SOLD OUT
Delta: SOLD OUT
Northwest: SOLD OUT
United: SOLD OUT
US Air: SOLD OUT

You have to understand iahphx, we had to go home on either Sat or Sun. Work and responsibilities beckoned and that was the exact weekend that Aloha and ATA shut down. By estimates of the Honolulu Newspapers at the time with Aloha and ATA cancelling their flights. There were up to 3-5,000 or more mainland travelers displaced on the islands scheduled to fly home between 4/1-4/9. That's a lot of people for the limited empty seats available.

No matter how you deconstruct the route, you have to cross an ocean. And for that weekend no amount of money would have gotten you home if you didn't have a seat. Like you said the demand was too great even at full fare.

Thankfully, similar to BofC's story, WN came through. Their business model is amazing and I guess part of the reason why they can afford to do this is because they are so profitable in the industry. And part of the reason that they are so profitable is because they treat their employees well, deliver a quality product and more importantly make sure their customers are taken care of.

They've won me over.

Congrats BofC...I told you that WN would take care of you!

As for praises and gifts, SWABrian told me to address all correspondence to their Executive Office. He assured me that if you put the name of the person who helped you, they would make sure that he/she would be notified and receive the correspondence.

Colleen Barrett
Southwest Airlines
PO Box 36611
Dallas, TX 75235