Articles tagged “hawaii”

No other country or region has an airline industry as strong as that of the U.S. What's the secret? Have U.S. airlines cracked the perennially difficult code to airline profitability, and will it last? Skift Airline Weekly dove deep and zeroed in on trends that explain the U.S. airlines' success.

Air India and Oyo couldn’t be more different, not just in their respective businesses, but both could be gone in a New York minute if they aren’t able get past the biggest test they face currently.

Hawaii, with its isolated location, fragile ecosystem, and deep-rooted local culture, faces even more problems with overtourism than most popular destinations do. Tourism marketers are looking at ways to manage the situation, but it's a huge challenge.

A proliferation of Hawaii short-term rentals, which are exacerbating an already expensive and tight housing market, is sparking heavy debate in a state where tourism is the main economic driver. While such accommodations are needed to handle rising visitor numbers, some say it's time to get them under control and look at the consequences of unchecked tourism growth.

As Southwest Airlines ramps up its highly anticipated Hawaii service, fares from the mainland and between the islands are expected to become more competitive and encourage more tourism. The question is whether Hawaii’s infrastructure, which is already impacted by high room rates and occupancies, can handle it.

Southwest Airlines’ entry into the Hawaii market is likely to bring more competitive airfares from the U.S. mainland and also on inter-island routes. The good news may be tempered, however, by rising hotel rates and limited availability in Hawaii’s most popular destinations.

Southwest has known for years that there is money to be made in differentiation and protecting your brand identity regardless of what Wall Street thinks. That's a factor in its decision not to launch basic economy or bag fees.

Hawaii has been a profitable niche for Alaska Airlines for a long time. But now the market is under siege. Competitors want their slice of the profits.

There's no way around it: Southwest's new emphasis on cost-containment, productivity gains, and other efficiencies doesn't provide an optimistic outlook for passenger experience. It should make Southwest a more profitable airline — if passengers go along for the ride.

In the airline industry, bigger is almost always better. But Hawaiian Airlines is betting its unique niche will help it as more competitors add capacity in its markets. Still, the airline could someday be a takeover target for another airline that wants to grow.