HA most unforgiving airline?
 

I can't say I've travelled the world on every airline, but from what I have seen, Hawaiian Airlines seems to be the most unflexible, least forgiving airline around. Does anyone agree?

I can give examples, but it just seems like they are 100% by the book, and do not budge no matter what. I guess that is good for the bottom line, but it's a little bit annoying sometimes. Anyone agree/disagree?

Without specific examples, this is a pretty meaningless.

Many carriers are sticklers for the rules. In a certain way, it's fair to everybody.

You seem to have had a bad experience. But, if you take a look here, you will find some number of threads about every carrier on the face of the earth which notes that "rules are rules, except when it comes to..."

Please give examples...I've had things go my way and I've had HA play by the book. At the end of the day the rules are the rules (even if we don't like them)...

This thread struck me, as I noticed that HA is really the only major carrier (perhaps add VX to the mix) that has not (yet?) issued a weather waiver for Hurricane Lester. It looks like UA/DL/AA/AS have all issued waivers.

I suspect this will happen soon as the modeling of the storm track tightens.

You may be right, but even with Madeleine, all the other majors issued weather waives for many of the major Hawaii airports, whereas HA just issued a waiver for KOA and ITO.

As you well know, Hawaii is the center of Hawaiian's operation. Hawaii is merely a few spoke stations for the other carriers. Hawaiian can spend the time to focus on the real impacts of a storm, as it will have ripple effects for the entire airline. The other carriers can easily cancel or delay a few flights to mitigate the problems a storm of Hurricane or even tropical storm magnitude will incur. Recovery for them will be far easier. What good reason would HAL have to offer weather waivers for travel to islands not affected by Madeline? Or any storm for that matter? IMO, HAL is taking the right approach. If the weather will adversely affect the operation and compromise safety, they will act accordingly. Until then, it's speculation and issuing blanket weather waivers without know the full impact of the storm is unnecessary.

All true, but it does adversely impact pax who don't have the peace of mind to change given the uncertainty they too face with the potential hurricane. I know a few who are hopeful HA issues a weather waiver and are frustrated that other pax on other carriers (I am in this latter boat) have been able to take advantage of waivers and don't have to gamble. It's not just for ops as the proactive weather waivers are customer friendly (whether intended to be or not). IME, it's short sighted on the part of HA to take a chance on its pax travel plans.

Slippahs - I totally see your points. I'm not the one who makes the decisions, I'm just rationalizing what's going on. I would suspect that when the weather indeed presents a case for a weather waiver, HAL will issue one. It's clear the one for Madeline was spot on. ITO and KOA were the only airports that were predicted to be affected, therefore a waiver was issued. I'd imagine when they feel they've got enough information to make a decision for Lester, they will. Until then, it's business as usual, which is logical. If the weather isn't going to be a problem, there's no need for a weather waiver.

IMO HA should issue a waiver for Hawaii & Maui County as there is an active hurricane watch for those two areas. The other island should remain business as usual. Just my 2cents.

Agreed. Not sure what's taking so long to announce at least Hawaii and Maui county waivers.

Edited to add... Lester has taken a bit of a turn and now the islands are no longer under hurricane watch. As I suspected earlier, I would guess HA was watching the storm track and waiting to see what it did with the forecast turn to the north.

Well... AS did only issue a waiver for KOA... and just for Madeline thus far.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alask...ug-2016-a.html

Another example of HA inflexibility:

Last February, we were delayed on an HA morning flight, SFO/HNL. It took off finally, SEVEN HOURS later. Upon disembarking we were given a measly $200 coupon for use on a future flight. A paltry sum were I ever to fly this airline again which I will not.

Had same scenario in April OGG-SEA. We were given a single voucher for $200. They did not offer up anything at the gate, which was not manned until about an hour before the flight was rescheduled to dept. We asked about getting some kind of meal voucher, which they begrudgingly gave - $10 pp. Not much to eat at OGG anyway.

We are flying AS SEA-HNL end of Sept. and then HA on the return, and using the $200 voucher. Which basically paid 75% of one OW ticket back to Seattle. We shall see how things go. But was not impressed with HA and their poor handling of our 7+ hr delayed flight.

I do like the Airbus A330. Beats the AS 737, and the comfort seats were nice which we paid on the outbound portion of our flight. (Not as good as DL's economy comfort IMO) I upgraded to the comfort seats on the return this upcoming flt as well, so fingers crossed that all goes smoothly on this trip, or it might be last time we fly HA.

There's two decent restaurants (Stinger Rays, Sammy's) and a California Pizza Kitchen and a Burger King and a Pinkberry and some crappy food stands.

Maybe you didn't know about the restaurants and the small food court?

$10 wouldn't get you very much there. Maybe at BK.

-David