In early November I have a flight on United from the mainland that is scheduled to arrive in HNL at 5:51pm

I want to go onwards to ITO that same evening on a separate ticket.

Three options:

HA at 7:05pm
AQ at 7:10pm
go! at 8:00pm

All are currently the same price.

I hope to have been able to interline check my bag (but that might not be possible given the reality of the particular UA station from which I start my travels that day, and the fact that I will be on two separate UA tickets from the mainland to HNL -- made it possible to use two $100 certs instead of just one )

Long-time listeners will know that I despise go! But I also despise running through airports worried about making a connection. If I missed the HA flight, I suppose I could buy a walk-up fare on go! (if available). I would not want to overnight in HNL.

What akamai do you have here?

In that order! Except if you're checking bags, maybe UA is better at interlining with AQ. But you'll probably get your Pualani Gold u/g to F if you fly HA. But it's a short flight, so what's the big deal? But I like F, even if it's just for inter-island. But UA is better at interlining bags with AQ, aren't they?. I'm so confused. OK, I'll stick with my first pick: my last and final answer: In that order.

cblaisd, after your ordeal of having the last flight canceled, are you really even considering flying go! again?

IF you aren't able to interline the bags, and assuming all the flights are pretty close to on-time, would seem that the HA and AQ flights would be close to impossible to make (claim baggage, go from UA gates to Interisland terminal, checkin, security....).

But, if you can interline the bags, and again assuming all the flights are pretty close to on-time, HA gives you nicer plane. AQ slight edge on closer gate and 5 min later departure.

These are the last flights for all 3 carriers? If you really believe there's a fair chance you can't interline bags, I think you know the answer.

Yeah, I think you're right

We won't tell. Your secret's safe with us!

If they cancel that flight on you again, give us a ring. Motel Ripper3785 will bill go! directly.

I know, I know.

I'm leaning right now toward the HA flight, and doing only carry-on.

Mahalo!

If my experience is any guide - I had a longer connection from United to IslandAir HNL-OGG with separate tix and no inter-line. An hour would have been plenty but UA failed to get my luggage onto the connection at LAX. When I arrived in HNL, UA paged me to the baggage office. They told me that my luggage would be there the next day. I asked that they send it on to my location in Maui and UA said that their responsibility ended with getting it to HNL, no matter where I was going. They offered to send it to IslandAir's counter in HNL when it arrived. IslandAir said they'd take it to OGG if UA brought it to them but it was UA's fault and that they could not do a delivery on Maui. So I got up the next morning and drove to the airport. The IslandAir baggage office was closed but they had piled it by the exit of the commuter terminal. When I complained to United they gave me a voucher for $25, which I burned.

Since I know you've been wondering , the end of the story: I picked the HA flight when I was able to snag one of the $19 fares.

And I checked my bag in at DFW on UA:

DFW-DEN-LAX (one UA ticket)
LAX-HNL (second UA ticket)
HNL-ITO (third ticket on HA)

The check-in agent knew what he was doing (although he wouldn't believe me that the airport code for Hilo is "ITO").

The suitcase arrived successfully.

So did I -- the UA flight was early and I walked to the HA gates. As I was walking up I heard them boarding an earlier flight to ITO. They wouldn't let me get on it despite the fact that there were lots of empty seats This is the ONE thing about AQ that I like better -- they are much looser and laidback about letting you go on a different flight if you show up at the gate, ime.

That's a bummer. Especially with your Gold status. I guess HA saves that as a Platinum perq. AQ is definitely more lenient.

Time to bump it up to Platinum?

It's sounds like your experience has been different, but the gate agent told me that one has to be on the standby list 30 minutes before the flight -- no exceptions for Gold/Platinum.

Platinum would be nice, but this trip was segment number 30; I don't see getting 30 more.

Sounds like you ran into a GA with an attitude! Fortunately, we've always been able to hop onto earlier i/i flights with a Platinum BP , at no charge.

BTW, it's only 50 segments to go Platinum: there's still hope!

Yeah, I think you're right. In fact, at the time, when I saw who was working the flight I figured there was little hope.

Even 50 would be a stretch! I can wish, though

Turns out this is a "new rule". HA HQ confirmed it over the phone. The G/A does have discretion, however. He let us on an earlier flight to OGG this morning when HA17 from LAS arrived 40 minutes early "as a one time courtesy" after lecturing us for half a minute about the new policy.