Organize your binders, sharpen your pencils and pack your bookbags, it’s back-to-school season! Hawaiian Airlines recently partnered with Operation Homefront, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving military families, for its Back-to-School Brigade! The annual nationwide school supply drive and distribution campaign provides keiki (children) with free supplies for the new school year.

In our first year as a community partner, we recruited leaders from each company department to host their own mini-drives. Employees assembled a stockpile of basic materials, including glue, folders, backpacks, pencils, notebooks and more.

“As a parent myself, I understand the stresses that come with getting keiki ready for the new academic year and the expenses that follow,” shared Michael Church, instructor of maintenance training and president of the Hawaiian Airlines Veterans Employee Network. “It was a wonderful feeling to gather my team members for a great cause and provide Hawai‘i’s youth and military families the support they need to succeed!”

After collecting donations, Team Kōkua, Hawaiian’s employee volunteer group, counted, packed up and distributed items to families at Hickam Airforce Base, the largest U.S. Air Force installation in the state. In total, our ‘ohana gifted approximately $8,500 in supplies, including 122 backpacks and 1,100 pounds of classroom essentials!

In all, over 1,000 keiki received school supplies thanks to Operation Homefront, which is also supported by Helping Hands Hawaii, Navy Exchange, Marine Corps Exchange, Office Depot, Fisher Hawaii and via individual cash donations. 

When Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendant Wesley Hirata spotted an older Asian man boarding a recent Los Angeles to Honolulu flight with three Caucasian girls, something didn’t feel right.

The party claimed they were traveling together as a family, but their limited interaction concerned Hirata, who periodically asked them questions throughout the trip to try and learn more. Still worried, he enlisted the help of fellow flight attendants Crimson Foster and Kira Sunderland.

“Because of Wes’ strong instinct about the situation, I decided to go up to the girls and ask a few questions,” said Foster. She confirmed Hirata’s observations, observing the girls were nice but shy.

The three later examined the man’s required agriculture form prior to landing in Honolulu. “After seeing one of the girls he was traveling with was underage, I felt compelled to check on the passenger manifest,” explained Hirata. “As a brother of two sisters – including one 10 years my junior – I couldn’t just ignore the situation under good conscience.”

“Wes and I then looked at the manifest and saw something very unusual,” said Sunderland. “All three girls were listed with the same name.”

“It was definitely a strange situation which I have never experienced in my 15-plus years of flying,” added Hirata.

It was also a first for Sunderland, a veteran of 34 years, who decided it raised enough red flags to warrant action. “While we are all very aware of not wanting to inconvenience any passenger, it is obviously more important to guard the safety and security of our flight and the passengers in our care,” she shared.

Honolulu sheriffs questioned the passengers upon arrival and referred the case to the FBI as suspected human trafficking. While the case was dismissed, law enforcement praised the crew's actions.

"We do appreciate Hawaiian Airlines employees for speaking out and saying something and bringing it to our attention," said Jason K. White, spokesman for the Honolulu FBI field office. "We encourage people to remember that if something seems strange or doesn't feel right most times something is wrong, however, that was not the case in this incident."

 “The astute awareness of the flight attendants – noticing some key anomalies that heightened their attention to that situation – led them to quickly alert the captain who made the appropriate notification to our Systems Operations Control Center and airport security,” said Thomas Aiu, Hawaiian’s director of corporate security.

L to R: Crimson Foster, Kira Sunderland and Wes Hirata

Human trafficking is estimated to be the world’s second most profitable transnational crime, according to the United Nations’ aviation agency. The International Labour Organization estimates 40 million people are trapped in some form of modern slavery such as forced labor or marriage, with women and girls accounting for 71 percent of victims.

“All of us are aware that Hawaiian is famous for hospitality, and deservedly so,” says Sunderland. “But we always say, ‘if you see something, say something,’ and that's exactly what happened here… I am grateful for our training, and for the quick responses of all involved – in flight and on the ground – during very busy phases of our flight.”

Hirata offers some advice for anyone who may find themselves in similar situations, possibly doubting their instincts:

“Always be observant of passengers as they board… Also, be sure to discuss any strange situations with other crew members and enlist the help of those willing to get involved. Trust your gut and prior experience. Report the situation without alarming or confronting the passengers in a suspicious manner.”

Mālama means to take care of, tend, protect, save, and maintain.

It’s a value intrinsic to Hawai’i’s culture and alludes to a greater responsibility we all have during our time on Earth. At Hawaiian Airlines, caring for our island home is a core value that drives us to adopt eco-friendlier practices throughout our company.

Our ongoing commitment to reduce our carbon footprint has led to impactful, company- and community-wide initiatives. Take a look at some highlights from our recent environmental endeavors that are making flying to Hawai’i even greener.

Telling a Story of Mālama ‘Āina Through Street Art

In conjunction with the POW! WOW! Long Beach 2018 festival, we commissioned the live painting of our first large-scale mural created by renowned local street artist Kamea Hadar. The piece tells a story of sustainability and the importance of protecting natural resources, drawing inspiration from the flow of water and the role it plays in giving life.

The mural is the first artwork to be unveiled in a series of upcoming sponsored pieces called “Mālama ‘Āina” (to care for the land).

Protecting Our Reefs with Raw Elements USA

To help minimize the impact of sunscreen on our reefs, Hawaiian Airlines teamed up with Raw Elements USA, a certified natural, chemical-free, reef-safe sunscreen company. This campaign, which kicked off in April 2018, supports our airline’s ongoing sustainability initiatives and reinforces our dedication to protecting Hawai‘i’s pristine natural resources.

Check out Raw Elements USA founder and CEO’s top tips on being an eco-traveler.

Caring for Island Earth with the Polynesian Voyaging Society

Hawaiian Airlines is a proud sponsor of The Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage, a global initiative that involved 200-plus crewmembers who sailed Hōkūle‘a and its sister canoe Hikianalia using Polynesian wayfinding navigation as they engage communities with the goal of inspiring action to care for “Island” Earth.

Throughout the epic three-year voyage, we provided more than 32 million air miles for crew and cargo throughout an expansive route network in addition to monetary contributions to the Polynesian Voyaging Society. 

Tracking Climate Change on Our IAGOS Flights

In 2017, Hawaiian Airlines partnered with the In-service Aircraft for a Global Observing System (IAGOS) project to measure climate change and air quality on a global scale. Guests who fly on our A330 aircraft, bearing registration N384HA, become part of a unique research initiative that gives scientists real-time access to large areas throughout the Pacific region where sample collection has been difficult.

The IAGOS system is located under the aircraft’s cockpit and attached to probes in the front-left fuselage that autonomously performs atmospheric air samples from take-off to landing and records key high-altitude greenhouse gas measurements. It also retrieves information about icing conditions that may be useful in aircraft safety studies.

Gaining Fuel Efficiency with Airbus A321neo and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Our fleet of A321neos boast an innovative model that is touted for its quiet engine, the Pratt & Whitney PurePower® Geared Turbofan, and boasts a greener, more aerodynamic build than its predecessors. In the end, we’re able to reduce our company’s fuel consumption and carbon emissions on a single flight by 16 percent compared to previous generation aircraft.

As we look to our future, we are excited to soon welcome a new fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners that use 20 percent less fuel than previous generation aircraft thanks to an innovative composite airframe and advanced technology.

Read our recent blog post on the A321neo and why it’s the perfect aircraft for our West Coast market.

Lowering APU Usage and Energy Reliance

Last year, we announced our commitment to reducing out reliance on jet fuel to power aircraft at the gate. Our initiative to connect parked aircraft to more efficient external electricity is significantly reducing pilots’ use of the onboard auxiliary power unit, or APU, which burns jet fuel to keep lights, avionics systems, air conditioning and other equipment on.

The ongoing effort has the potential to reduce Hawaiian’s APU usage by an estimated 30 minutes per flight, saving some 620,000 gallons of fuel annually and cutting CO2 emissions by 5,933 metric tons. That’s roughly enough fuel to fly the airline’s wide-body fleet for a day, while the carbon reductions equate to removing 1,253 cars off the streets each year.

Coral reefs are a nutritional hub for fish, mollusks, urchins and larger mammals, including human beings. They are also living organisms incredibly sensitive to environmental changes. According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, more than 60 percent of coral reefs worldwide are at risk of being impacted by a variety of pollutants, including up to 6,000 tons of sunscreen that enters reef areas annually.

To help minimize the impact of sunscreen on our reefs, Hawaiian Airlines teamed up with Raw Elements USA, a certified natural, chemical-free, reef-safe sunscreen company. This campaign, which kicked off in April 2018, supports our airline’s ongoing sustainability initiatives and reinforces our dedication to protecting Hawai‘i’s pristine natural resources.

But we can’t stop there. Our Hawaiian Airlines ‘ohana encourages our guests to join us in growing a more sustainable future and become eco-friendly travelers every time they visit our shores.

Brian Guadagno, founder and CEO of Raw Elements USA

That’s why we talked story with Raw Elements USA founder and CEO Brian Guadagno, a 20-plus year ocean rescue lifeguard who realized there was a huge need for a natural sunscreen for ocean dwellers and active people like himself. He has since become a leader in ocean advocacy and continues to steward consumers nationwide to adopt an eco-friendlier lifestyle.

Brian shared his top tips on flying sustainably – from knowing how to buy a reef-safe sunscreen to knowing what to pack in your carry-on. Check them out below and get started on getting green!

Tip #1: Bring Reusable Containers

First, I never travel without an insulated water bottle. Having a reusable container keeps me from needing to use single-use plastics whether it’s for water, coffee or tea – hot or cold! I also try to pack my own snacks in reusable containers to avoid foods or meals that are packaged in a plastic wrapping.

Tip #2: Ask the Flight Attendant for the Can

When I want a drink, I usually ask if I can have the original bottle or can instead of having it poured into a plastic cup. If I really need a cup, most cabins have paper cups for hot coffee. Always decline the plastic straw.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: We also encourage our all of our guests to hold onto their plastic cups, if they opt to receive one. Reusing the cups allows our guests to join us in our company-wide effort to reduce our consumption of single-use plastics.]

Tip #3: Stash Eco-Friendly Products in Your Carry-On

The Raw Elements USDA Organic Herbal Rescue lip balm never leaves my pocket when I’m flying. I stash a stick and small can of our moisturizer in every travel bag I own, too!  

Tip #4: Say ‘No’ to the Plastic Bag

I almost always decline the plastic bag. To make it easier to say no, try packing a light backpack or reusable tote bag inside your suitcase to use when you’re out shopping and exploring.

Tip #5: Local Over Everything

When I’m traveling, I will always look and ask for locally sourced food and drinks. This is a great way to experience what the destination truly offers and to reduce your carbon footprint.   

Tip #6: Pack Plenty of Raw Elements USA Sunscreen

Raw Elements USA is the only sunscreen I ever pack. I know I’m protected naturally and utilizing ingredients that are as sustainable as possible. I’m an ocean lover so ensuring reef safety with my sunscreen use is huge.

Tip #7: …Or Buy a Bottle On-the-Ground

Forgot your Raw Elements at home? Don’t worry, there are other brands that do a great job too…you just have to know how to look for them. My best advice when buying a truly reef-safe sunscreen is to look for one that only uses Zinc Oxide as the active ingredient. To go one step further, look for Non-Nano Zinc Oxide on the label. If that is what you are using, you can be confident you are truly doing your part!

For more information on Hawaiian Airlines’ reef preservation initiative go to www.HawaiianAirlines.com/ReefPreservation