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Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant & Soul Food Chef Hampton Isom recognized for his ‘Giant’ heart

When Hampton Isom joined Alaska Airlines in 2015, he had no idea what would become of it and the joy he’d bring to people in the skies and his community.

Nominated by his peers, Isom, who is a flight attendant based in Seattle and also runs his own food truck business, recently won an initiative from the Brawny® paper towel brand for going out of his way to support his community.

Hampton Isom

The Brawny® Giants Initiative was created to recognize and support people who are going out of their way across the country to help those who’ve been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

After roaming the globe, first as a professional basketball player and later a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines, Isom aka “The Boss,” had big plans to bring his love of Cajun Cuisine to the Pacific Northwest while also giving back to people in need. Through “sweatin‘ and workin hard” and his Louisiana-rooted culinary skills, he created Dat Creole Soul, a nonprofit business in Seattle. He takes his cooking a step further by sharing hot plates with people who are homeless.

Whether he’s setting up shop down on Pine St. or at an annual festival or family reunion, when you see his Creole Soul truck pull up you know you’ll be taken care of with some hot food that “will stick to your ribs” like gumbo jambalaya, shrimp et tu fe, red beans and rice.

“When I got my food truck, every time I go out on location to sell food, the food that I have left over, instead of throwing it away, I will park somewhere and I got this sign that says ‘If you’re hungry stop on by and come get something to eat,’” he said.

Hampton says he hears the same questions and quips from guests almost every flight. From “If you were any taller, you wouldn’t fit in this plane” to “Do you play basketball?” And to reply, he says “You should’ve seen me with an afro,” and “yes” to playing basketball – Isom played in college and professional for 12 years in Turkey, Italy and Australia.

Born and raised in New Orleans, Isom says he grew up poor and knows what it’s like to be hungry. He says if he can help someone avoid it, he will.

“I grew up in the projects, food stamps the whole nine yards. I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to be hungry, I know how it feels to be cold,” he said. “It’s easy to give. Everyone has to eat plain and simple. More importantly, the world just needs to come together as a whole and everybody needs to be nice to somebody, it doesn’t cost anything to be nice.”

Before applying to work at Alaska, Isom was nervous that a 7-foot tall Black man might not be the best fit for working inside of an airplane all day or night, but it happened. Not only is he giant by nature—many airlines do have maximum height limitations that fall well under 7-feet—but he’s also a ‘Giant’ to people in his community.

“When it comes down to the grind, everyone I work with is ‘in.’ I use that same motto when I’m helping the homeless—I’m all in—whether I get donations from somebody or whether I gotta do it myself,” Isom said. “If I don’t get donations or a lot of stuff I just go out of pocket because I chose to go down this road to feed people and I will do it until I can’t do it anymore.”

Isom received a supply of Brawny® paper towel and a donation toward his business as part of the recognition.

Over eight weeks, Brawny® asked consumers to nominate their friends, family members and neighbors who are making a difference. Brawny® recognized and supported recipients like Isom (of course) with paper towels and donations to help him and others continue the work they are doing.

“Being a giant has nothing to do with a person’s height but everything to do with the action they take to bring good to this world,” says Katie Kolesky, Senior Director of Brand Building, Brawny®. “Giants like Hampton embody the Brawny® brand purpose of inspiring others to overcome life’s challenges with strength and resilience and do things from their hearts without expecting anything in return. We’re honored to help him continue to cook meals with love, kindness and compassion.”

Michelle Spackman, an Alaska flight attendant based in Los Angeles, nominated Isom for the award. She says she’s only met him a handful of times but he made a lasting impression on her and that he just has something about him.

“He could not be a more deserving person. Forget the fact that he is 7 feet tall and what he is doing with the community. Just as a person, Hampton is remarkable. There’s no other word that describes him,” Spackman said.

Michelle Spackman

Alaska talks about going above and beyond and when you go through his posts, you see what he’s doing with the community and he even takes his time to go out to hand out flyers that say ‘my truck will be here at this date and this time and if you want a hot meal I will be here.’”

Spackman says she is normally the type of person who fast forwards through commercials and for whatever reason, she stopped to watch the Brawny® Giants Initiative commercial. She says the first person that came to my mind was Hampton.

“Whether he won or not, I’m glad there was somebody, a virtual stranger, who did something for him and to affect his life. He’s a legend in the making.” – Michelle Spackman

Photo shot by Ingrid Barrentine in 2019.

For more information about Isom & what’s on his menu visit Dat Creole Soul’s website and check out other Brawny® ‘Giants’ taking action here.

Katharine McEntee contributed to this story.

Hawaiian Holdings Announces 2020 Second Quarter Results Conference Call

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HONOLULU, July 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA), parent company of Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. ("Hawaiian"), plans to report its second quarter 2020 financial results after the market closes on Tuesday, July 28, 2020.  An investor conference call is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time that day.

The call will be open to all interested investors through a live audio webcast accessible in the Investor Relations section of Hawaiian's website at HawaiianAirlines.com. For those who are not able to listen to the live webcast, the call will be archived for 90 days on Hawaiian's website.

About Hawaiian Airlines     

Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA). Additional information is available at HawaiianAirlines.com. Follow Hawaiian's Twitter updates (@HawaiianAir), become a fan on Facebook  (Hawaiian Airlines), and follow us on Instagram (hawaiianairlines). For career postings and updates, follow Hawaiian's LinkedIn page.

For media inquiries, please visit Hawaiian Airlines' online newsroom.

 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hawaiian-holdings-announces-2020-second-quarter-results-conference-call-301097397.html

SOURCE Hawaiian Holdings, Inc.

Donate Alaska Airlines miles to support HBCU students with UNCF

Alaska Mileage Plan members can donate miles to UNCF to fly students to and from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), as well as career-development opportunities like the annual HBCU Innovation Summit and more.

Miles donated will continue to help students fly to college tours at HBCUs, travel back and forth between school and home, and participate in a variety of leadership development programs and other programming offered by UNCF.

Robert, an aspiring economics major at Norfolk State University of the graduating class of 2020.

“Thank you Team Alaska and the Mileage plan family. Your generous support helps our UNCF students achieve their college and career dreams. Education can break the cycle of poverty and together we create access to educational opportunity, one student at a time,” said Linda Thompson-Black UNCF Pacific Northwest Area Development Director.

UNCF is one of more than a dozen other nonprofit organizations supported year-round by Alaska’s Mileage Plan members through the airline’s LIFT Miles donation program. Since 2011, members have donated more than 300 million miles.

Related: The gift of miles brings HBCU students home for the holidays – and opens doors to careers.

How to give

Mileage Plan members can donate as few as 1,000 miles through Alaska’s LIFT Miles program at alaskaair.com/donatemiles. Bonus: Donating will help keep your account active if you haven’t been flying or redeeming as frequently.

UNCF also accepts cash donations for its various programs, including scholarships, mentorship and other programming. Learn more at uncf.org.

UNCF brings dreams within reach

In 2017, Alaska Airlines named UNCF a LIFT Miles partner which allows Alaska Mileage Plan members to donate miles to assist the organization in fulfilling its mission.

Founded in 1944, UNCF is the national leader in the effort to expand college access for Black students and other minority groups.

Sanyh Aarons, student at Benedict College.

“UNCF does amazing work, and we’re thrilled Mileage Plan members have the opportunity to help further this organization’s mission,” said Shaunta Hyde, a UNCF board member and Alaska’s managing director of community relations. “We chose UNCF because the work they do has a direct impact on underserved Black communities across the United States.”

Supporting young people and helping them to pursue their educational dreams is an initiative that Alaska strongly supports. Alaska believes that every young person deserves the opportunity to have the best start in life, and education allows them the opportunity to pursue their goals and dreams.

Additional partner organizations Mileage Plan members can donate to include The Nature Conservancy, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Medical Teams International, Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, National Forest Foundation, Fisher House Foundation, Dream Foundation, Angel Flight West, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and the Alaska Airlines Disaster Relief pool, and the Alaska Airlines Miles for Youth. Learn more at alaskaair.com/donatemiles.

Changing Course: Planning our Future in Uncertain Times

Network Planning and Revenue Management is arguably one of the most complex areas of the airline business. At Hawaiian, it is where we make crucial decisions ranging from where we deploy our fleet to how we arrange our seats and the services we offer our guests to maximize value to travelers and keep us growing. So, what happens when a global pandemic forces the airline industry to almost shut down with nearly no markets to serve or seats to sell?

Bob Westgate, Hawaiianʻs managing director of network and schedule planning, explains how his 16 team members have had to quickly adapt to these exceptional industry changes.

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Bob Westgate currently manages his 16 team members from his home office.

Network Planning

Our Network Planning team has been actively monitoring industry developments since traditional, weekly updates are quickly out-of-date in the very fast-paced and fluid pandemic environment. The team has been analyzing how past economic events, including 9/11 and the last financial crisis, impacted Hawaiʻiʻs visitor numbers. They are reviewing the relationship between unemployment rates and Hawaiʻi visitor levels to see if any parallels to our current situation can be discerned. The group continues to monitor currency exchange rates and the status of various international travel restrictions to determine when we will be able to resume services to many of our international markets.

Lastly, we have been assisting our cargo team in determining the costs associated with all freight operations. Since mid-April, we have been operating regular all-cargo Airbus A330 flights between Honolulu and Incheon, South Korea, and Narita in Japan and Los Angeles, along with one-off flights from Shenzhen, China, to Honolulu and Taipei to San Francisco. We have several more flights planned from Hong Kong and Taipei and others under consideration.

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Our Network Planning and Cargo teams worked together to ship 1.6 million masks from Shenzhen, China to Honolulu in April.

Future Schedules

Members of our Future Schedules team have been working through a significant number of ramp-up scenarios to help us plan our future. These exercises have led to very detailed schedule modeling so we can determine the resources we may need under different situations. The team recently took the lead in determining what it would take for us to operate one-stop flights in the event they became necessary to be CARES Act compliant. An example of a one-stop flight would be Honolulu-New York-Boston, using one flight to serve two East Coast stations in our network. This option, which falls outside our existing model as a destination carrier, in which every one of our flights begins or ends in Hawaiʻi, was not deemed necessary.  

This team is also responsible for monitoring block times – the amount of time a flight takes, from pushing back from the departure gate to arriving at the destination gate. Accurate block times help with flight planning and ensure we don’t arrive too early when a gate may not be available. Our block times analyst has been studying the impact of significantly less industry activity at our airports and in the sky. This effort has led to modest one-to-two-minute block reductions for our Honolulu and neighbor island flights, and up to 10 minutes for our flights to and from the U.S. mainland.

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Alex Bachwich, manager of future schedules, is working around the clock in his home office to stay on top of the fast-paced industry changes.

Current Schedules

The Current Schedules team has been producing multiple scenarios before finalizing each month’s schedule. This preparation has been challenging because we need to rely on various governments for key dates, including when local, state and country quarantines are scheduled to be lifted. This team is also responsible, along with Revenue Management, for determining when neighbor island up gauges or extra flights are deemed necessary to accommodate in-flight social distancing, particularly on peak travel days. As an example, we have occasionally been operating our midsize Airbus A321neo aircraft in place of our smaller Boeing B717s on select Maui-Honolulu routes where we’ve seen higher bookings. This allows us to meet demand while capping our loads to allow for distancing onboard.

We have also increased our charter planning now that we have more available aircraft to pursue charter opportunities, which help offset some of the lost revenue on our reduced commercial schedule. Slot coordination, an often-complicated process to maximize the efficient use of airport infrastructure, continues to take up a lot of time, especially for ad hoc charters and cargo-only operations, and because we are making decisions relatively late in the slot coordination process.

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Our Current Schedules team is also responsible, along with Revenue Management, for determining when neighbor island up gauges or extra flights are deemed necessary to accommodate in-flight social distancing, particularly on peak travel days.

Publications

Each time we add, cancel or retime our flights, we run a schedule change that is reflected on HawaiianAirlines.com, the Sabre reservation system and the global distribution systems. Prior to the pandemic, our Publications team would process one or two schedule changes per week. This has evolved into one or two changes per day as rapidly changing conditions force us to make relatively close-in decisions about our capacity. They have also been tasked with implementing the new seat maps with middle seat blocks to provide more personal space for our guests.

Additionally, codeshare coordination has become increasingly challenging as all airlines are scrambling to identify close-in schedules that offer passengers a seamless connection and, when necessary, reaccommodation options. We typically have 10 days to work with our codeshare partners but the urgency to make last-minute schedule changes has forced us to coordinate with partners in near real-time. This is especially important for our codeshare partners that rely on our neighbor island network since most nonstop flights between the U.S. mainland and neighbor island points have been cancelled due to decreased demand caused by the ongoing pandemic. 

At the end of the day, my team is doing their best to break down complicated information and communicate it as effectively as possible, and I’d like to mahalo all the teams we have been working closely with, especially airport operations, crew, maintenance planning, our System Operations Control Center and catering. This close and speedy coordination has made it easier for us to do our jobs and continue to serve our guests in these tumultuous times.

Alaska Airlines plans to start reopening Lounges Aug. 1

We’re providing our guests with Next Level Care on board, at the airport and in our Lounges.  We’ve made some changes to our Lounges to ensure your comfort and safety. Please continue to check back for updates as the situation evolves. Thank you for your patience, flexibility and understanding during this time.

Locations & hours

  • Currently, only our SEA D Concourse Lounge is open.
  • Effective Aug. 1 we will be reopening our Lounges in ANC, PDX, LAX and SEA North Satellite.
  • Our current hours are available on our locations and hours page.
  • We’ll continue to update this page with any additional closures or changes to hours of operation.

Cleaning + Safety

  • Employees are taking temperature checks before starting each shift.
  • We are limiting each location’s capacity based on local restrictions, which in most cities is currently 50%.
  • Guests and employees are required to wear masks when not eating or drinking.
  • Hand-sanitizing stations have been installed in multiple locations throughout each Lounge.
  • Foot-pull door handles have been installed in each restroom.
  • Our staff will be continuously cleaning each Lounge throughout the day.
  • We will be replacing physical newspapers with complimentary online access to digital media while on our Lounge Wi-Fi.
  • We have added signage to encourage social distancing and have removed seats at high-density areas.
  • When checking-in, we request that you hold out your boarding pass to our staff to scan, rather than passing your phone or boarding pass to them.
  • We have paused the use of fingerprint scanners.

Food & beverage

  • While self-service buffets are most likely a thing of the past, fresh food options will be available in locations where current local restrictions allow.
  • Pre-packaged snacks will be available in all locations.
  • You’ll see our team continuing to wear gloves and only pour drinks into clean glasses.
  • Beer, wine and liquor selections will be reinstated as local authorities permit.
  • We’ve removed free-standing water towers and instead encourage guests to ask for a clean glass or bring a water bottle that our barista would be happy to fill for you.

Memberships

  • This spring all guests with an active membership as of April 1, 2020, received a 6-month extension.
  • Your digital membership card was updated in May.  To access, open the Alaska Airlines mobile app, go to “Account,” then click “Alaska Lounge card.”
  • We no longer send out physical membership cards, except upon request. To request a physical card, please email Alaska.Lounge@alaskaair.com with your Mileage Plan number.

Alaska Airlines is setting sustainable goals to make flying matter

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic changed many of your plans and ours. On top of the public health crisis, many around the country and world have lost their jobs and are experiencing an unprecedented amount of uncertainty. Our eyes have also been opened wider to the senseless race-related violence and painful experiences that our Black neighbors, friends and colleagues live with every day. In addition, the challenge of climate change remains critical to address. These are not easy times, but they do remind us how deeply we are connected, and how critical our individual and collective actions are.

At Alaska Airlines, we know something about connection: our top priority is to connect people safely, with fantastic travel experiences and a workplace our employees are proud of. Flying is – and will remain – an important part of how we see family, do business, learn about other cultures and explore the world. It’s up to us to keep it thriving for many years to come and to do so in a way that is responsible to all those who depend on us.

Photo by Ingrid Barrentine

A few years ago, we began using the term “LIFT” for our long-time efforts around environmental and social impact, riffing on the physics principle at the root of aviation. And today, we released our 2019 LIFT Report, which includes data we use to hold ourselves accountable for goals set over the last decade to measure our performance and progress in these areas. The report shares progress in areas such as fuel emissions, waste management and reduction, employee engagement, and supplier labor practices – and 2020 goal attainment in areas such as safety and supporting education opportunity.

This year, to increase transparency, we are also reporting according to Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB) guidelines including deeper commentary on safety and climate. We are proud of our industry leadership on aviation safety and have expanded that focus to the personal health and safety of our guests and employees in light of COVID-19. We also know that our greatest material impact is the carbon generated through burning fuel in our operation and that this has an impact on the climate. We hold ourselves accountable to continue to address that impact through ongoing effort to improve fuel efficiency, use of sustainable aviation fuels and investment in carbon offsets.

This work is as imperative as ever to address racial equity, economic opportunity, and climate change. In the next year, we will roll out new five-year objectives to reflect our commitments in each of these areas, including our impact on carbon, waste and water. We’ve learned from the coronavirus pandemic that our collective actions have impacts around the globe – and, that they can change a trend. These global challenges will require action from all of us. We are grateful for your support and partnership on this continued journey in creating “lift.”

Here are some of our sustainability efforts:

We’re reducing aircraft emissions by:

  • Investing in sustainable aviation fuels that are renewable and produce less emissions.
  • Purchasing more efficient aircraft and upgrading existing planes with advanced design features.
  • Using technology to fly safer routes that use less fuel.

We’re producing less waste by:

We’re making flying matter by:

Many of these initiatives are truly employee-driven.

Our robust recycling program (which we’re itching to return to) began in the mid-80s from the passion of a Horizon Air flight attendant. Though inflight recycling is paused during Covid-19 to reduce risk for guests and employees alike, we look forward to restarting on all our flights.

Our business resource groups, such as the Green Team and Air Group Black Employees Allies & Advocates (ABEA) push us to learn and continue to improve. They’ve created training and education programs, connected employees to volunteer and mentor to support young people’s educational and career advancement, and helped galvanize installation of water bottle filling stations and a move to #FillBeforeYouFly away from plastic water bottles in our offices.

Our safety reporting systems are a top priority every day – and since 2014, Alaska Air Group has honored more than 1,200 employees with the Safe Operations Award & Recognition (SOAR) program, in which peers nominate their fellow employees who’ve gone above and beyond to keep our operation safe.

See the full 2019 report here

We can’t do it alone.

When it comes to making an impact, we all have a role to play. At Alaska Airlines we are building toward a more equitable and sustainable future. With your help, we can make flying matter and help our planet thrive.

Here’s what you can do:

#FillBeforeYouFly: We’re partnering with The Lonely Whale to reduce plastic bottles by making sure you fill up your reusable water bottle before you board. Every time you bring a prefilled water bottle on an Alaska flight and post it to social media with the hashtag #FillBeforeYouFly, we are planting a tree with help from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation. Learn more

Donate Charity Miles: Our Charity Miles program offers members a unique and meaningful way to support important causes and use travel for impact. In 2019, our passengers donated 73 million miles, valued at over $2 million, to [10 partners, including The Nature Conservancy and the National Forest Foundation]. Read more

Pack light, fly direct, and purchase carbon offsets: Every pound you bring on the plane and every mile you travel matters. We encourage every guest to take the least amount of luggage possible and to pick the most direct flights to reduce the amount of emissions it takes to get you and your luggage to your destination. If you want to do more, you can offset your travel by participating in our carbon offset program. More info

Learn more about our sustainability efforts at FlySustainably.com.

Hawaiian Airlines’ volunteers, partners helping Hawaiʻi’s public school campuses get ready for fall

HONOLULU – Hawaiian Airlines’ community outreach group, Team Kōkua, and partners have been working with interested Hawaiʻi public school principals on projects to freshen up their campuses and prepare for the new school year. The Kōkua Our Schools program will continue after the 2020-21 school year begins.

Three campus projects have been completed at Kaʻelepulu Elementary in Enchanted Lake, Waimea Canyon Middle on Kauaʻi, and Haleʻiwa Elementary on Oʻahu’s North Shore. The projects included landscaping work, classroom prep, student device cleaning and set-up, painting and mural installations. Two more projects are planned in July at Maunawili Elementary and King Kamehameha III Elementary in Lahaina.

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Team Kōkua volunteers at Kaʻelepulu Elementary in Enchanted Lake

 

The work has been supported with donations of supplies from City Mill Co., Ltd. and the labor, talent and expertise of POW! WOW! Hawaiʻi, local artists, and teams of Hawaiian Airlines employees who live in these communities. School staff guided and participated in the work.

“Our state and our business have been hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the resiliency and community spirit of our employees through Team Kōkua demonstrate again that they are our greatest asset. They just get it done,” said Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO Peter Ingram. “Schools are a vital support to our working families and we’re happy to do what we can to help bring them back.”

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A Team Kōkua volunteer at Kaʻelepulu Elementary in Enchanted Lake

 

“Hawaiian Airlines has been a valuable partner to the Department during this global health crisis and a tremendous supporter of our school communities. The time and resources donated by the company and its employees will have a lasting impact on our students, faculty and staff. We appreciate their willingness to give even as they dealt with the personal and professional impacts of this situation,” added Hawaiʻi Department of Education (DOE) Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto.

The initiative came together in the spring after school campuses were closed during the early days of the pandemic and the state’s “safer at home” orders, when students and teachers began distance learning after spring break. Many Hawaiian Airlines employees were on voluntary furlough due to a significantly decreased flying schedule and the company sought opportunities to extend more kōkua into its communities. In addition to working with Lanakila Meals on Wheels and the Hawaii Foodbank, an offer to help the schools was presented to Hawaiʻi DOE leadership, who shared it with principals.

For the three projects completed thus far, Team Kōkua brought 221 volunteers who provided 1,064 hours of assistance, along with 55 hours provided by local artists.

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Team Kōkua volunteers at Haleʻiwa Elementary on Oʻahu’s North Shore.

 

City Mill Co., Ltd. donated $2,500 in supplies including paint, brushes and rollers, drop cloths, buckets and more. Hawaiian Airlines employees also donated an estimated $2,000 in paint and supplies to support the work.

A specially designed aloha mural was installed at Kaʻelepulu by POW! WOW! Hawaiʻi Director of Operations Jeff Gress and Co-Founder Kamea Hadar, with assistance from Alana Wilson. At Haleʻiwa Elementary, artists Jack Soren, Mark Visaya and Gary Fisher provided whimsical mauka-to-makai designs on student bathroom entrances. Two more POW! WOW! aloha murals are planned for King Kamehameha III Elementary and Maunawili Elementary.

To participate in the Kōkua Our Schools program, principals are encouraged to contact Dolly Wong in the DOE Community Engagement Branch.

Click here to download b-roll and images.​

About Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA). Additional information is available at HawaiianAirlines.com. Follow Hawaiian’s Twitter updates (HawaiianAir), become a fan on Facebook  (Hawaiian Airlines), and follow us on Instagram (hawaiianairlines). For career postings and updates, follow Hawaiian’s LinkedIn page. For media inquiries, please visit Hawaiian Airlines’ online newsroom.

Learn more about its community partners: City Mill, POW! WOW! Hawaiʻi, and Jack Soren.

About the Hawaiʻi Department of Education

Hawaiʻi's public school system was founded on Oct. 15, 1840 by King Kamehameha III. It is the oldest public school system west of the Mississippi. Its 293 schools (256 public, 37 charter) belong to one statewide public school district with 15 regional Complex Areas. Learn more at HawaiiPublicSchools.org.

Hawaiian Airlines Launches Travel Assistance Program for Hawai‘i College Students

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HONOLULU – As thousands of college students prepare to travel to Hawai‘i and within the islands for the fall semester, Hawaiian Airlines is hoping to ease their transition to campus life amid the pandemic. Under a new travel assistance program, Hawaiian is offering students registered for fall classes at Chaminade University, Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) and the University of Hawai‘i (UH) a five percent fare discount on its transpacific flights, and two complimentary checked bags and a flexible booking policy on all flights. The airline will also match HawaiianMiles that universities opt to purchase through the end of the year to provide additional travel support for students and their families.

“We are delighted to welcome onboard local, out-of-state and international students attending Hawai‘i universities so they can arrive refreshed and ready to resume their studies or begin their higher education,” said Theo Panagiotoulias, senior vice president for global sales and alliances at Hawaiian Airlines. “We always look forward to bringing students to Hawai‘i at the start of a new semester, and it will be a specially rewarding experience for us this year.”

Collectively, Chaminade, HPU and UH anticipate some 8,000 students may benefit from the program, with more than 6,100 of them expected to arrive in Hawai‘i from the U.S. mainland and international destinations. Students will enjoy discounted tickets and baggage allowances when booking travel at a special portal available via their universities through Dec. 31. Understanding travel plans may change, students will also be able to reschedule flights without change fees.

“Our students are excited to return to campus for fall and, given that HPU students come from every state and numerous countries, this generous offer from Hawaiian Airlines will provide relief to many of our families,” said HPU President John Gotanda. “Moving steadily toward a more normal way of living here in Hawai‘i includes bringing back the university students who add so much to our community. We greatly appreciate Hawaiian Airlines’ commitment both to our broader community and to the HPU ‘ohana.”

"We are grateful for the manawaleʻa (generosity) Hawaiian Airlines has extended university students (and their families) to travel to Hawaiʻi and continue their education,” said Chaminade University President Lynn Babington. “For many of our out-of-state, returning students, Hawaiʻi is home and we are anxious to welcome them back to campus and reunite as 'ohana. This program will provide much-needed savings, peace of mind and special consideration to our families as we learn to thrive in a new normal together."   

"The University of Hawaiʻi is looking forward to welcoming back our out-of-state students in the fall," said UH President David Lassner. "We are very grateful for the generosity of Hawaiian Airlines and their willingness to assist students and their families as they face unprecedented challenges in this new normal."

Hawaiian, which currently offers daily nonstop flights between Honolulu and Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, will resume additional U.S. mainland routes next week and in August. It plans to restart international flights when countries begin reopening for travel. The airline continues to operate the best network of Neighbor Island flights offering convenient connectivity between Honolulu, Līhu‘e, Kahului, Kona, Hilo, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i.

Guests arriving at Hawaiian’s airport lobbies will notice layered health and safety protocols throughout their journey, including social distancing measures when checking in, boarding and in-flight, plexiglass shields at counters and podiums, and frequent cleaning of self-service kiosks and aircraft, including electrostatic disinfection of cabins. Hawaiian is also encouraging travelers to check-in via its mobile app and requiring all guests to wear a mask or face covering (except for young children and those unable to do so due to a medical condition). Click here to learn more about how Hawaiian is keeping guests and employees safe.

About Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA). Additional information is available at HawaiianAirlines.com. Follow Hawaiian’s Twitter updates (@HawaiianAir), become a fan on Facebook  (Hawaiian Airlines), and follow us on Instagram (hawaiianairlines). For career postings and updates, follow Hawaiian’s LinkedIn page.

For media inquiries, please visit Hawaiian Airlines’ online newsroom.

Tada Yotsuuye celebrates 55-year milestone anniversary with Alaska Airlines

This year was a special year for both Tada Yotsuuye, Seattle line inspector, and the Alaska Air Group family. Last month, Yotsuuye celebrated 55 years as an employee with Alaska, and he’s the first employee to achieve this monumental milestone in the history of our company.

Leaders recently hosted a special pin recognition ceremony to honor Yotsuuye’s 55th anniversary, and there was no shortage of funny stories and notes of gratitude.

Yotsuuye receiving his 55th anniversary pin at a special ceremony with co-workers and family members.

“Tada is an incredible Alaska Airlines employee,” said Constance von Muehlen, SVP of maintenance and engineering, during the presentation. In reflecting on this major milestone, she did a little math. The aviation industry is 117 years old (starting in 1903), and Tada has been part of the aviation industry for 74 of those years since he started with the Air Force in 1946. He later joined Alaska in 1965.

“That means not only are you, Tada, a fantastic part of our Alaska history,” she said, “but you’re really part of American airline and aviation history, which we are treasured and honored to have among us.”

Tada was named a Customer Service Legend, Alaska’s most prestigious honor in 2006. Photo by Ingrid Barrentine

Not only is Yotsuuye an Alaska Legend, but he’s also a 2006 Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award recipient, which is a prestigious award that only 2,888 individuals in the United States have received. He has had a long and distinguished career.

Scott Miller, director chief inspector, reflected on the 19 years he has spent working with Yotsuuye and what a pleasure it has been to learn from him and share laughs along the way.

“I have been part of Tada’s 40-year, 50-year and now his 55th-year pin recognition,” he said. “I remember when Tada got his 50-year pin we asked him what his plans were, and he said, ‘I wonder what the 55-year pin looks like.’”

Whenever he’s asked by co-workers about retirement, Yotsuuye would say with a smile that he had no plans to put away his tools.

“Fifty-five years sounds like a long time,” Yotsuuye said during his recognition ceremony. “Ninety years sounds ridiculous, but here I am 55 years with Alaska Airlines at the age of 92 and I am glad to be here.”

When asked what has kept him with Alaska for so long, he said, “Alaska Airlines has the most exceptional people I enjoy working for and with, which makes the time fly by.”

Often referred to as the Jedi Master among his coworkers, Miller researched what it means to be one.

“Jedi Master is the highest rank attainable in the Jedi Order, reserved only for those who have shown exceptional skill and devotion,” he said. “I can’t think of a better way to describe Tada as somebody that has displayed 55 years of exceptional skill and devotion to safety and compliance and helped grow Alaska Airlines into the company it is today.”

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CEO Brad Tilden also wanted to express his gratitude during the presentation to Yotsuuye and recognize his dedication to Alaska.

“Tada, thank you for 55 years of service,” said Tilden. “It’s just amazing. It’s stunning. This is a great company because of folks like you. We appreciate everything you’ve done to make this great company what it is.”

So, what’s in store for Yotsuuye now that he’s seen what the 55-year pin looks like?

“Now I can retire,” he said.

In support of other employees who would like to work toward long-lasting careers with the Alaska family, Yotsuuye offers this advice: “Keep busy and have fun.” Those are two things Yotsuuye is likely to do even as he welcomes retirement with open arms and his toolbox at his side.

Photo by Ingrid Barrentine

Please join us in sharing your notes of congratulations and appreciation below for all Yotsuuye has done to help make us who we are today.

Tada, Alaska wouldn’t be the same without you! May the force be with you, friend.

Hawaiian Airlines Welcomes Back North America Travel in August

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HONOLULU – Hawaiian Airlines today announced it will resume a reduced schedule between Hawaiʻi and most of its U.S. mainland gateway cities on Aug. 1, when the state of Hawai‘i begins welcoming travelers who choose to participate in a pre-travel COVID-19 testing program being developed. Hawaiian will also increase neighbor island flights to offer guests more seamless connectivity between O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, Maui and the Island of Hawai‘i.

“The layered safety measures put in place to protect the health of our local communities promise to make travel to and from Hawai’i more accessible than in recent months,” said Peter Ingram, president and CEO at Hawaiian Airlines. “We look forward to welcoming onboard guests who support and observe the protocols in place for responsible travel, including our visitors and kama’aina reconnecting with family and friends on the U.S. mainland.”

The airline, which suspended most of its flying in late March due to the pandemic and the state's ensuing quarantine order for arriving passengers, has been operating a reduced neighbor island network and once-daily service between Honolulu and Los Angeles, Seattle and San Francisco to support essential flights and critical cargo transportation. Starting today, the carrier will begin once-daily service between Honolulu and Portland and will add once-daily service to San Diego and Sacramento on July 15.

Effective Aug. 1, when Hawai‘i begins waiving its quarantine requirement for travelers who test negative for COVID-19 prior to departure, the carrier will reinstate nonstop service from six U.S. mainland cities to Honolulu, including Boston, New York, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Jose, and Oakland. Hawaiian also will resume select U.S. West Coast-to-neighbor island routes with its narrow-body Airbus A321neo aircraft, including Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento to Kahului, Maui; Los Angeles and Oakland to Līhuʻe, Kaua‘i; and Los Angeles to Kona on the Island of Hawai‘i.

Hawaiian plans to resume weekly service between Honolulu and American Samoa on Aug. 6. Passenger service for the carrier’s international markets remain suspended due to restrictions on inbound travel.

Following these service additions, the airline will be operating an average of 252 weekly flights connecting Hawai‘i to the U.S. mainland and 114 daily flights within the Hawaiian Islands. For details on flight frequencies and times, please visit HawaiianAirlines.com.

In May, Hawaiian implemented a comprehensive health and safety program for guests and employees that includes the use of face coverings, airport and onboard spacing, and enhanced cleaning measures. The carrier created a short video to prepare guests for what they can expect when flying on Hawaiian.                      

About Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA). Additional information is available at HawaiianAirlines.com. Follow Hawaiian’s Twitter updates (@HawaiianAir), become a fan on Facebook  (Hawaiian Airlines), and follow us on Instagram (hawaiianairlines). For career postings and updates, follow Hawaiian’s LinkedIn page.

For media inquiries, please visit Hawaiian Airlines’ online newsroom.

We want you to have a great flight with us – with your mask on

As part of a final warning, this yellow card could be issued to a guest who repeatedly refuses to wear a mask or face covering on our aircraft.

Updated August 5:

We take the use of cloth masks and face coverings very seriously, like we do all safety, health and well-being issues for our guests and employees.

Overwhelmingly, those who fly with us understand and appreciate the importance of wearing masks and face coverings during this time of COVID-19. We also rely heavily on our guests to do the right thing for the greater good of everyone onboard our flights.

Our flight crews encounter moments when some travelers disregard or disobey our mask requirement. It creates tension and anxiety for many of our passengers who do have their face coverings on. So, a change is needed.

Starting August 7, our flight attendants will be empowered to issue a final notice to any guest who repeatedly refuses to wear a mask or face covering on board our aircraft. With that warning – in the form of a yellow card handed to them – the guest’s travel with Alaska could be suspended immediately. That would be a decision we do not take lightly. By working together, we do more for the common good.

“We take pride in our excellent customer service, a main reason so many of our guests enjoy flying with us. That stays the same,” said Ben Minicucci, Alaska’s president. “We’re counting on both our guests and employees to be considerate of one another to wear face coverings and contribute to our constant effort to keep everyone healthy and safe.”

All Alaska passengers will be required to wear a cloth mask or face covering over their nose and mouth (except for children under the age of two) – with no exceptions. Cloth masks or face coverings will be required on all flights, at ticket counters, throughout gate areas and any other location where Alaska conducts business.

Another reminder of how seriously we take our mask enforcement policy: All of our guests are asked during check-in to sign off on a required health agreement to acknowledge and attest to their willingness to adhere to the mask policy.

For guests who might forget their own mask, we will have them available upon request. Starting in July, we also began providing individual hand-sanitizer wipes on board.

We’ve recently made significant investments in enhanced cleaning procedures, hospital-grade air filtration systems and other approaches to ensure your safety throughout the travel journey.

Learn more about how we’re earning your confidence with Next-Level Care on alaskaair.com.

We realize a piece of cloth across your nose and mouth is probably not your ideal way to travel. But if we all take that small step while flying, we’ll be better off in the long run.

6 ways to celebrate Pride 2020 at home

Due to the coronavirus, virtually all Pride 2020 live events have been canceled or postponed—but you can still celebrate one of the biggest, best, loudest, proudest celebrations out there from home with the tips below.

At Alaska, we’re a big team, inclusive of many people and perspectives. Our differences make us better––especially when we respect and embrace what makes us unique. Alaska Airlines celebrates and supports the LGBTQ+ community year-round and remains committed to helping create a more equitable society. We’re proud to sponsor Pride in Seattle, San Francisco, Honolulu, Anchorage, San Diego, Portland and Palm Springs.

Below are some tips to celebrate Pride from our GLOBE team, a business resource group at Alaska committed to creating an inclusive, safe and supportive environment for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender Employees.

Here’s how you can do Pride 2020 right:

1. Attend a virtual Pride event at home

Get dressed up (finally, you’ll have an excuse) and invite your friends to join a Pride event over video chat! Just because we can’t get together in person doesn’t mean we have to miss out, right? Download Alaska’s  Pride backgrounds to add some fun & flare to your phone or computer backdrop.

San Francisco Trans March – 6/26

Global Pride 2020 – 24hrs 6/27

Seattle Pride – 6/28

San Diego Pride – Series of events

2. Support LGBTQ+ artists, authors, businesses & more

If you’re able, donating to LGBTQ+ causes or supporting gay-owned businesses is a great way to not only celebrate Pride Month but also helps those who need it most.

3. Just dance

Turn your living room into a dance floor and blast music from your favorite artists that support the LGBTQ+ community.

4. Share your #FlyWithPride moments

Post photos with your friends, family or pets with #FlywithPride (social distancing, of course).

5. Show up for your friends, family or co-workers

Never underestimate the power of being there for someone. For some people, Pride can be a confusing time, especially for those who are not completely out about their sexuality. A small gesture can go a long way like sending a thoughtful text or message on social media.

6. Have yourself a day

Take a minute or two to pamper yourself or do something that makes you happy. Pride is also about loving yourself and taking time to celebrate you! Whether that means pampering yourself with a rejuvenating facial or slicing up your best fruit & cheese platter (which we can’t wait to bring back onboard), or taking a breather using Headspace (which you can also listen to on your next Alaska flight).

What does Pride mean to you?

We asked some of our GLOBE members questions about Pride. Here’s what they had to say:

How do you get to be your true self at Alaska Airlines?“At my department I’m able to look like myself and not have to alter my appearance, which I am very grateful for.” – Amiya, a central baggage agent based in Seattle. She’s worked at Alaska for 1 year.

What inspires you to celebrate Pride?“The reason I am able to live my true life is because brave people have stood up against injustices and fought for my freedom to live. That is something to be proud of, something to be thankful for, and something to celebrate!” – Corey, a flight attendant based in Portland for 2.5 years.

How do you show your Pride at Alaska?“Alaska has opened the doors for me and welcomed me with open arms and said ‘we take you for who you really are’ and that feeling in my heart is amazing. I’m always grateful and honored to be able to represent this company with pure integrity of who I am. The Drill Team (Alaska’s dedicated group of flight attendants that dance routines at large events like Pride] is my escape to my dance world and allows me to pay forward what Alaska has done for me. Last year, Alaska’s Pride dance routine was amazing! Full attitude sass and pride.” – Orly, a flight attendant based in Seattle. He’s been with Alaska for 8 years.

What’s your most memorable Pride moment?“Being interviewed by Living808 TV on top of our Alaska Pride Float in my hometown of Honolulu with my wife, our daughter, and my sister dancing alongside me in the Parade. I got to tell the world how proud I am to be gay and to work for a company who celebrates me for that!” – Rasha, Alaska flight attendant for 3.5 years, based in Portland.

How do you celebrate Pride?“I celebrate knowing how far we’ve come, but also how far we have to go. All the hard work we put into getting our Alaska contingent in parades, I’m rewarded by watching our employees celebrate the ability to be themselves and represent a company that supports them.” –  Chad, a reservations workforce planning specialist in Seattle. He has been with Alaska for 16 years.

What inspires you to celebrate Pride?“Watching employees at every level of our organization from frontline employees to the CEO volunteer at Pride events and celebrate our ability to bring our whole selves to work is truly rewarding and inspiring.” – Kevin, a central baggage service manager in Seattle. He has been with Alaska for 17 years.

What does Pride mean to you?“Pride means not having to be scared to be who we are, to not hide and show everyone what acceptance is … I am grateful every day working at Alaska Airlines, where coworkers become friends and our passengers reach out to thank me for being a role model for so many.” – Jennifer, first officer based in Los Angeles. She’s been with Alaska for 4 years.

Tell us how your Pride flies nonstop. Stay safe & be kind to one another!

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