Delays on HA 36 HNL-PHX
 

As we've previously noted, HA 36 is the last mainland 763 flight out of HNL in the afternoon. Occasionally, it is delayed from 3pm to 10pm because HA is one aircraft down due to mechanical issues. What does HA do for the passengers when the flight is delayed?

I'm taking the flight in a couple of weeks and want to be prepared for a possible delay. The HA CoC says that HA is obligated to give passengers a hotel room for mechanical/crew delays over 4 hours and the delay moves the flight into the hours between 10pm and 6am. Since the delayed flight usually leaves around 10:30pm, I doubt that HA offers this amenity.

Has anyone experience this type of delay on HA36? Does HA give meal vouches or anything special during these excessive delays?

HA36 HNL-PHX yesterday (July 18) delayed over 7-1/2 hours with estimated departure time from HNL @ 10:40 PM (vs. scheduled 2:55 PM departure time)

That is exactly why I'm asking the question. It's been noted on FT in the past and seems to happen a couple times per month. Just wondering what HA does for the paseengers when these excessive delays happen.

We used to be given virtually unusable $200 vouchers.

Virtually unusable because they could not be used in the system only in person and if you used them with a person on a RT you got charged $50 of the 200 for the privilege of talking with a live human at HAL.

The only good way I found of using the many many of them I received when living in Phoenix was to use them at the gate for part of a cc payment upgrade to 1st.

Oh, they also would give us a meal voucher to use in the airport for $18 or so.

Is HAL working its way back to becoming the worlds worst on time regularly scheduled route again? Check out Flight Stats. I quit flying that route (and went to USAir redeyes) when their ontime departure on HAL 36 reached 18% back in 07.

Perry

I've taken this flight and its never been on time... I remember one Christmas-eve - we were about 7 hours late.

I guess this is what happens when you run an operation with NO spare aircraft. If a 763 goes mechanical, steal the plane from the PHX flight and make the PHX passengers wait 7-8 hours for the next 763 to arrive in HNL. Not a great plan from the passenger standpoint!

It reminds me of AA's plan in the early 90's, as the DC-10's were retiring. If the overwater DC-10 on the morning DFW-HNL went mechanical, fly the passengers to LAX, and have them wait until 6pm! Not a great plan.

We are 1 for 2 on this flight in terms of timeliness. We got the $200 vouchers, which we used pretty easily. I have been in terminal three in the morning flying out on a different airline at least once or twice and have seen the folks coming in on their unintentional red eye.

When you say "pretty easily" we understand that it wasn't hard to use them. However, did it cost you to use them (fee for non-Internet booking, etc.)?

As I recall, I was not charged a fee for the phone booking and had to mail the physical vouchers in. I think I paid for certified mail. I think I was also given the option to bring them to my local airport, which has an HA desk. So, harder than evouchers, but not that hard to use. Of course, YMMV.

looks like HA36 HNL-PHX today (Tuesday, 9/18/12) was delayed about 7 hours with new departure time from HNL @ 10PM :-(

Sorry, am I missing something here? Since May this particular flight has only been delayed more than 1 hour 7 times versus for example HNL-EWR on UA where they were delayed more than 1 hour 9 times and cancelled 3 times since May.

At least Hawaiian runs the flight late and does not cancel.

I think HA has alot better ontime performace out of Hawaii versus the other carriers that service HNL.

While those UA numbers are bad too, that doesn't make the numbers on HNL-PHX good. Whatever HA's timeliness on other flights, the problem is that this particular flight is their safety valve. Delays of more than 1 hour on HNL-PHX are not likely to be just 90 minutes or something, but 7 to 10 hours.

I like the term "safety valve".^

And, furthermore, the pilots from this flight are scheduled to stay 2 nights in PHX. So, even if the flight is 8 hours late, there are no crew problems. It's the perfect safety valve -- except for the horrendous customer service provided.

FYI...HA36 HNL-PHX also delayed today (WED 19SEP) with new ETD HNL midnight (over 9 hours late). Second day in a row HA36 big delay.

so a friend @ Hawaiian Air said this flight is a "favorite" to delay because it is one of the FEW flights that remains overnight in the mainland, meaning it sits on the ground for some 7-8 hours. Almost every other flight turns immediately back to Hawai'i.