In the wake of Japan's recent earthquake and tsunami on March 11, rather than continuing the trend toward cancellations in the wake, Hawaiian Airlines will continue daily service between Honolulu and Tokyo. Prior to the events, service, which represents five percent of the company's revenue, had exceeded expectations, prompting the airline to accelerate service to Osaka, which will begin July 12, 2011.
President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Dunkerley said, "In the initial period following the earthquake, we saw a number of cancellations and no-shows but this activity has largely dissipated. Looking ahead, we are seeing a slowdown in forward bookings for the next two months. Current indications suggest a slightly less than 20 percentage point decline in bookings over the next month compared to what we would have expected during this period."
Dunkerley said that Hawaii-Tokyo service serves primarily Japan-originating travelers who appear to be more inclined to keep their travel plans than are non-Japanese residents who had planned travel to Japan.
For more information, visit www.hawaiianairlines.com.