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Travelers with disabilities learn what it feels like to fly – without leaving LAX

Photography and story by Ingrid Barrentine

The Gaspar family of five has big travel dreams: Washington, D.C. Colorado. Disney World! But for years, just getting on an airplane seemed almost impossible.

Karen Gaspar worried the bustle and noise of an airport might overwhelm her 10-year-old son. “Karlo has sensory-processing and mobility challenges. When we have a new situation, he can have meltdowns,” she says. “It’s hard on him. It’s hard on the family, and It’s not pleasant for other people on the plane.”

This June, the Los Angeles family had the chance to try out flying – without the expense of buying a ticket, without worrying about disrupting a flight, without even leaving the ground. The Gaspars were among 71 individuals with disabilities and their families who participated in the “Ability to Fly” event at Los Angeles International Airport – the first collaboration between Alaska Airlines and Los Angeles World Airports to help travelers with disabilities experience how a commercial flight feels before going on an actual trip.

Karlo Gaspar, 10, high-fives a member of the Los Angeles Airport Police before boarding the airplane.

Families went through the major steps in airport travel: check-in, security screening and the boarding process. Once they were aboard Alaska’s “Toy Story 4”-themed 737, the plane taxied to LAX’s remote gates to simulate taxiing for takeoff, and then returned to the gate. The pilot, Capt. Rick Russek, volunteered for the event because his 12-year-old nephew has autism. “I’ve been with him a lot at a young age and I know the things that could be scary for him,” he says.

For the Gaspars, the event made Disney World feel just a little closer. “People have been answering his questions, and he’s been getting special attention,” Karlo’s mom says. “So far, he loves it!”

“These events are intended to help alleviate the anxiety commonly associated with air travel for individuals with disabilities and their families,” says Ray Prentice, Alaska’s Director of Customer Advocacy. Alaska participates in four to five similar events each year at airports around the country. “There are great benefits to Alaska as well,” he says. “Our volunteers become disability advocates for life, after attending a single event.”

Flor Hernandez shares in a moment of joy while taxiing aboard the 737.

A few families shared their stories as they embarked on their travel adventure:

The Jaronczyk family: “They explained everything to him”

Emmitt Jaronczyk, 5, waits to board the Alaska Airlines aircraft.

Elyse and Evan Jaronczyk learned about “Ability to Fly” through a Facebook group and brought their 5-year-old son Emmitt, who has a sensory-processing disorder, and his 2-year-old brother, Easton.

Can you tell a little about what Emmitt’s experience is?

Elyse: “We have a lot of issues with sensory sound and noise. It could feel like a full-on meltdown. With kids on the spectrum, you don’t know why they’re going to freak out, and it’s good to know that he is calm about this. I think how they treated us VIP-like was nice because they explained everything to him, and he knew what was happening. Now that he knows this and has a memory of it, we’re comfortable to come back and fly.”

Captain Rick Russek shows Emmitt Jaronczyk how to power up the 737.

The Livio family: “I think I was more nervous than she was”

Kahlen Livio, 9, takes in the sights from her window seat. The 737 taxied to LAX’s remote gates to simulate the process of taxiing for takeoff.

Keith and Elin Livio of Torrance, California, travel frequently and had been searching for a program to help their 9-year-old daughter, Kahlen, experience air travel so she can join them on longer trips. Through Kahlen’s therapy for autism, they learned about “Ability to Fly.”

Has Kahlen flown before?

Elin: “This is the first time we actually got her into the airport. Before, we could not even drive in because of her fear of new situations. She gets terrified if you don’t give her a story, like ‘Where are you going?’ This time, we said ‘We’re going to go on an adventure.’ We’ve been talking to her for days. We’re very impressed; she’s just doing very well. I was nervous about how she was going to react with the TSA check-in – and keeping her with us because she likes to wander off. They were very kind and it was so easy. I think I was more nervous than she was. I think we’re ready to actually fly.”

Where would you like to go?

Elin: “Hawaii! She loves the beach. And maybe Florida because she wants to go to Disney World.”

Keith: “That’s the fear – the risk of paying thousands of dollars for an entire trip and then at the end of the day, if she has a meltdown, we’d have to back out. So that’s why being here helped, to go through the motions.”

Elin: “My fear is that she’s going to melt down in an airplane and what am I going to do? How is the staff going to react? If she does, I want to make sure she’s safe and people around understand, ‘OK, this is what’s going on.’ Those are the kinds of fears I have, but everyone here is very well-trained.”

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TRAVELERS WITH DISABILITIES:

More scenes from “Ability to Fly”

Best West Coast destinations for beer lovers

Beer tourism is a real thing. For hardcore aficionados, these adventures take the form of singularly focused “beercations” – but for most travelers, visiting local taprooms is simply part of the overall vacation plan. More than three-quarters of respondents in a 2016 Travelocity survey said they would like to go on a trip that included visiting craft breweries and sampling local beers.

It’s hard to define, but a taproom feels different from other drinking establishments. Something about visiting a brewery feels authentically local – providing a greater understanding of a place and its people. And of course, sampling beers you can’t get at home is its own reward.

Good news for thirsty travelers: Alaska Airlines offers flights to the West Coast’s top beer destinations – and features regional craft beers inflight to enjoy along the way. Throughout the summer, outdoor festivals in each city offer the chance to sample a variety of craft beers and soak up the sun at the same time.

(Courtesy of Boundary Bay Brewery)

BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON: Located along Interstate 5, 50 miles south of Vancouver, B.C., this small city (population 90,000) boasts a dozen breweries. Nearby access to year-round outdoor activities attracts all types of adrenaline junkies and nature lovers, but the density of breweries in this laid-back burg make it a destination for beer enthusiasts. The oldest brewery and pub, Boundary Bay Brewery, remains a local favorite, while newer breweries like Chuckanut Brewery and Wander Brewing have earned regional and national acclaim. For more on Bellingham’s breweries, consult the Tap Trail.
Coming up June 29: The Sixth Annual Bellingham Beer and Music Festival

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: There are more than 60 breweries within city limits, so you won’t have trouble finding one regardless of where you’re staying. The Ballard neighborhood offers the greatest density with 11 breweries within walking distance of each other. Don’t miss Stoup Brewing and Reuben’s Brews, two rising stars on the local beer scene. At Fremont Brewing, which crafts the Lush IPA offered on Alaska flights, visitors can settle into an urban beer garden setting. Downtown at Pike Place Market – a favorite destination for crowds of visitors and locals alike – be sure to check out Old Stove Brewing’s MarketFront location, where the brewery and tasting room offer an expansive view of Elliott Bay and the majestic Olympic Mountains. For more on the Seattle beer scene, check out my Washington Beer Blog.
Coming up July 12-14: Seattle International Beer Fest

The 32nd Oregon Brewers Fest on the Portland waterfront will feature more than 100 craft beers and ciders – all produced in-state. (Photo by Timothy Horn, courtesy of Oregon Brewers Fest)
Cascade Barrel House. (Courtesy of Kim Sharpe Jones)

PORTLAND, OREGON: Aptly nicknamed “Beervana,” Portland embraces craft beer as an essential part of its identity. Plenty of proud locals claim it’s the greatest beer town in America – and they’re probably right. You’ll have no trouble gathering recommendations about which of the Rose City’s more than 60 breweries to visit, but adventurous beer drinkers should not skip Hair of the Dog Brewing or the Cascade Barrel House. The Oregon Brewers Festival, held in Portland in July for more than three decades, typically attracts more than 50,000 festivalgoers. Dive deeper on the Portland Beer Blog.
Coming up July 24-27: Oregon Brewers Festival

The Crux Fermentation beer garden. (Courtesy of Kim Sharpe Jones)

BEND, OREGON: In the heart of the Cascade Mountains, Bend boasts 22 breweries and a population of just 80,000, making it one of the nation’s leaders for breweries per capita. In winter, earn your beer by swooshing down the slopes at nearby Mount Bachelor. In summer, daydream about beer as you float lazily down the picturesque Deschutes River, which bisects the town. Don’t miss Deschutes Brewing Company, one of the oldest breweries in Oregon, and be sure to catch a breathtaking sunset from the beer garden at Crux Fermentation Project. Plot your path on Bend’s Ale Trail.
Coming up Aug. 15-17: Bend Brewfest

Russian River Brewing in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy of Russian River Brewing)

SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA: Located at the north end of Sonoma Valley, a region renowned for its wine, this is home to one very important brewery: Russian River Brewing, makers of Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger, two of the nation’s most ballyhooed beers. (They make a lot of other fantastic beers, too.) They release the ultra-rare Pliny the Younger just once each year, in February, and the event draws about 16,000 beer tourists from around the world. A 2016 study found visitors hailed from 40 states and 11 countries. Any time of year, all the beers at the company’s two brewpubs are exceptional, making Santa Rosa a mecca for America’s beer enthusiasts. Learn more.
Coming up Aug. 3: NorCal Brewfest

(Courtesy of Societe Brewing)

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA: If perfect weather, palm trees, sandy beaches and bronzed bodies on surfboards are not enough to entice you, know that there are more than 100 breweries in the area. North of town, in nearby Escondido, Stone Brewing Company’s World Bistro and Garden offers a 1-acre alfresco beer drinking opportunity in what is described as an organic beer garden. If you’re looking for a more typical San Diego brewery experience, visit Eppig Brewing or Societe Brewing, both great examples of the smaller, friendly breweries that dot the city’s neighborhoods. Learn more.
Coming up July 21: San Diego Beer and Music Festival

Hawaiian Airlines Seeking Japanese Speakers for Flight Attendant Positions

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HONOLULU – Hawaiian Airlines is hiring Japanese speakers to join its flight attendant team in delivering the carrier’s award-winning Hawaiian hospitality and advance the company’s ongoing growth in Asia and beyond.

“Hawaiian’s flight attendants love welcoming our guests with a hospitality that is unmatched in the industry,” said Robin Sparling, vice president of in-flight services at Hawaiian Airlines. “Our market expansion in Japan is a testament to the value travelers place on our uniquely Hawaiian and memorable in-flight experience. We are excited to grow our 2,100-plus flight attendant ‘ohana with people who share Hawaiian’s commitment to safety and service excellence.”

Interested candidates should visit www.hawaiianairlines.com/careers and select requisition No. 19-0197 or click here to view the job requirements and application information. Successful applicants will represent Hawaiian onboard its Japan flights as well as throughout the carrier’s transpacific network between Hawai‘i and South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, American Samoa and 13 U.S. mainland gateways, in addition to flights within the Hawaiian Islands.

A330 Flight Attendant Coffee

Hawaiian, which began serving Japan in 2010 with one daily flight between Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND) and Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), has become the leading U.S. carrier on the Japan-Hawai‘i route. Today, Hawaiian offers 31 weekly non-stop flights utilizing its Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft fleet between Hawai‘i and Japan, serving both Haneda and Narita (NRT) airports in Tokyo, as well as Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Osaka and New Chitose Airport (CTS) in Sapporo.

Hawaiian’s robust Japan business is spurring continued investment in the market. Last month, Hawaiian secured preliminary approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation to operate a new HND slot and provide additional Honolulu-Tokyo service ahead of the 2020 Olympic Summer Games. The ruling came just days after Hawaiian announced its intention to launch four weekly non-stop flights between Fukuoka (FUK) and Honolulu as soon as November 2019, pending government approvals for the new service.

Meanwhile, the airline is currently waiting for U.S. and Japanese government regulators to approve a proposed antitrust immunized joint venture between Hawaiian and its codeshare partner, Japan Airlines, that would deliver a range of additional consumer benefits.

About Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian® has led all U.S. carriers in on-time performance for each of the past 15 years (2004-2018) as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Consumer surveys by Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and TripAdvisor have placed Hawaiian among the top of all domestic airlines serving Hawai‘i.

Now in its 90th year of continuous service, Hawaiian is Hawai‘i’s biggest and longest-serving airline. Hawaiian offers non-stop service to Hawai‘i from more U.S. gateway cities (13) than any other airline, along with service from Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa and Tahiti. Hawaiian also provides, on average, more than 170 jet flights daily between the Hawaiian Islands, and over 260 daily flights system-wide.

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.

What goes into 7 parades: long hours, hundreds of Alaska employees — and boundless Pride

60,000 airplane hats and bandanas to pass out as swag.

9,000 pounds of equipment, including a plane-shaped mega-balloon.

More than 1,000 hours in donated time, sweat — and sometimes, tears.

But when hundreds of Alaska Airlines employees’ efforts come together at marches and festivities across the country, the Pride itself is unquantifiable. “From the start, this has been people who wanted to walk in the parade and be proud for our company and be proud that the company supports us,” says Chad Gabagat, workforce specialist and co-leader of the Gay Lesbian or Bisexual Employees resource group (GLOBE), which helps organize Alaska’s Pride parade appearances.

This year, Alaska has official partnerships with seven parades and employee groups will march in at least nine cities, starting in Portland on June 16. Anchorage follows on June 29, and the biggest parades Alaska sponsors — Seattle and San Francisco — both land on June 30, creating a West Coast logistical puzzle for GLOBE leaders as they choreograph floats, music, T-shirts and water for about 500 volunteers. San Diego’s march is just two weeks later on July 13, while Honolulu and Palm Springs parades come in the cooler fall months. (See the full schedule and details for the parade partnerships.)

Alaska GLOBE leaders Kevin Larson, Chad Gabagat, Alice Tam and Jeremy Naz at the 2018 Palm Springs Pride parade. Tam and Naz have taken on responsibility for much of the leg work for the 2019 parades. (Photo by Ingrid Barrentine)

Alaska will once again be the official airline of its hometown Seattle parade. “Alaska will help lead this year’s parade,” says GLOBE co-leader Kevin Larson, who manages the cargo call center and central baggage teams. “That means a lot to the thousands of Alaska Airlines employees who call Seattle home.”

“It is truly inspiring to see our people leading on behalf of equity and inclusion in our communities,” says Andy Schneider, Senior Vice President of People. “I’m so proud and humbled by the time commitment, passion and focus our employees have in representing our company throughout the communities we serve.”

This is the 14th year employees will represent Alaska in Seattle’s parade. The first appearance in 2006 was inspired by the parade’s move from the Capitol Hill neighborhood to the heart of downtown — and the news that it would be televised. Rick Wise, an IT project manager who has worked at Alaska for 32 years, remembers making the pitch to company executives. “Other companies that were marching were the cool companies in town — Amazon, Microsoft, Nordstrom,” he says. “We’re one of the cool companies, too. We did not want to be left out.”

Wise points out that some employees had marched unofficially in previous Pride parades — but the group wanted executives’ blessing to carry the Alaska banner and wear the logo. “Being lower on the organization chart, we were nervous going to the officers,” he says. “We had our facts, and we were prepared to probably be denied.”

But executives said yes. “It was like they were waiting for someone to come forward and make the request,” Wise says.

Seattle Pride, 2006: Employees march under the company banner for the first time. (Photo courtesy of Alaska Airlines GLOBE)

That first year, the 40 or so marchers, including Wise and Gabagat, wore whatever Alaska logo shirts they had. They borrowed a few broken beverage carts to push and handed out swag — some magazines, bags of peanuts and other trinkets. Larson was one of the employees watching from the crowd. “I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” he says.

Seattle Pride, 2015: The parade was just days after marriage equality was affirmed nationwide by the U.S. Supreme Court. (Photo courtesy of Alaska Airlines GLOBE)

Larson now runs logistics for the seven official parade appearances, creating two-year budgets and down-to-the-minute timelines for volunteers to follow. All GLOBE members donate their time — and for the core group handling setup and teardown, that means 24 hours of heavy lifting apiece spread over each parade weekend. “We have our day jobs and our gay jobs,” Larson says.

Gabagat admits the work to coordinate the parades can be exhausting, and sometimes thankless. But then he gets emails like this from fellow employees: “They say, ‘My son or daughter just came out. I want to walk in the parade.’ That sort of thing gets me every time,” he says. “It’s so meaningful to include not just our employees who are LGBTQ, but also those with kids who are LGBTQ. They know their company supports them and their families.”

Though sponsorships are not possible in every city, Wise encourages employees who want Alaska to participate in their city’s parade to create a plan and reach out to GLOBE leaders for guidance. “In the early years, we were afraid, but we went forward and asked,” Wise says. “If you want something, don’t wait for someone else to do it. A small group can make things happen.”

Portland Pride, 2016: Chad Gabagat, right, and his husband, Ruben Alatorre. (Photo courtesy of Alaska Airlines GLOBE)
Honolulu Pride, 2018: The Honolulu parade is one of the most logistically complex. (Photo by Jonny Mack. Courtesy of Alaska Airlines GLOBE)
Seattle Pride, 2017: Chad Gabagat and Kevin Larson express their relief that the parade logistics all came together. (Photo courtesy of Alaska Airlines GLOBE)
Related story: On Alaska flights, sit back and enjoy the Pride

As part of Alaska’s sponsorship of Pride 2019 celebrations, the free inflight entertainment during June and July features 18 films from the LGBTQ+ media-arts nonprofit Frameline, including two documentaries by director Jennifer M. Kroot: “The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin” and “To Be Takei.” Maupin and Kroot recently spoke with us about the films and shared some of their favorite places in San Francisco. Read more.

Hawaiian Airlines Selects CAE for Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Flight Simulator

HONOLULU – Hawaiian Airlines, gearing up for another growth period, today announced it is purchasing a CAE Boeing 787-9 full-flight simulator (FFS) to help prepare its pilots for the entry-into-service of a new Dreamliner fleet. The state-of-the-art, multimillion-dollar CAE 7000XR Series FFS is scheduled to be installed at Hawaiian’s Honolulu training facility in the second half of 2020, joining two other simulators and various other training devices.

“We are excited to partner with CAE to provide our pilots a world-class and convenient training experience inside the 787-9 full-flight simulator right here at home,” said Jon Snook, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Hawaiian Airlines. “This is an important milestone leading up to the Dreamliner deliveries, which will allow us to further expand our network and continue to introduce our award-winning Hawaiian hospitality to travelers from more destinations.”

“Hawaiian’s growth since the airline first took delivery of a CAE-build Airbus A320 and A330 FFS is very impressive,” said Nick Leontidis, CAE’s group president, Civil Aviation Training Solutions. “Since 2013, CAE has helped Hawaiian develop its training program, and we look forward to further expanding the airline’s training capacity with the addition of this new Boeing 787-9 FFS.”
 

CAE HA SIM

Hawaiian, Hawai‘i’s largest and longest-serving carrier, expects to welcome the first of 10 787-9s on order in the first quarter of 2021 and commence flights later that year. With a simulator in Honolulu a year before the first 787-9 delivery, the airline will have a full complement of flight crews ready to operate the new aircraft in advance of the start of commercial service. 

Guests boarding Hawaiian’s Dreamliners will enjoy a quiet and comfortable ambience achieved through an innovative composite airframe that allows the cabin to be pressurized at a level closer to that experienced on the ground. Powered by General Electric GEnx engines, the fuel-efficient aircraft will feature luxurious Premium Cabin lie-flat seating being developed by Adient Aerospace, and Collins Aerospace’s spacious Aspire seats in the Main Cabin, along with extra-large windows with dimmable LED shades and large overhead luggage bins.

The airline, which has purchase rights for an additional 10 787-9 aircraft, today operates a mainline fleet of 57 jet aircraft: 24 wide-body Airbus A330-200, and 13 A321neo and 20 Boeing 717 narrow-body aircraft.

In 2013, Hawaiian took delivery of an Airbus A330 FFS, becoming the first and only Hawai‘i-based carrier to bring simulator training in-house. In 2017, the airline expanded its training program with a new CAE Airbus A321neo FFS.

About Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian® has led all U.S. carriers in on-time performance for each of the past 15 years (2004-2018) as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Consumer surveys by Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and TripAdvisor have placed Hawaiian among the top of all domestic airlines serving Hawai‘i.

Now in its 90th year of continuous service, Hawaiian is Hawai‘i’s biggest and longest-serving airline. Hawaiian offers non-stop service to Hawai‘i from more U.S. gateway cities (13) than any other airline, along with service from Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa and Tahiti. Hawaiian also provides, on average, more than 170 jet flights daily between the Hawaiian Islands, and over 260 daily flights system-wide.

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.

 

You Don’t Want to Miss This: Earn a 40 Percent HawaiianMiles Bonus with Miles Purchase

Looking to get a head start on your next vacation? HawaiianMiles, the official frequent flyer program of Hawaiian Airlines, has kicked off an exclusive, limited-time member promotion, giving our most loyal guests the ultimate bang for their buck.

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Here’s the scoop:

When purchasing HawaiianMiles for their own use or as a gift, members receive a 40 percent bonus that is automatically added to the purchaser’s account. Members can buy up to 10,000 HawaiianMiles – in 500-mile increments— and put it toward their next flight on Hawaiian Airlines.

Triple bonus: Members who purchase miles with their Hawaiian Airlines® Bank of Hawaii World Elite Mastercard® can earn three miles per dollar spent.

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So, if you’re packing your bags for the next vacation, or giving the gift of travel for Father’s Day, Hawaiian Airlines has your back. Miles can be purchased online via the HawaiianMiles Member portal or by calling the HawaiianMiles Service Center toll-free 1-877-HA-MILES (426-4537). The promotion ends on Friday, June 14 at 11:59 p.m. HST.

Signing up for the HawaiianMiles loyalty program is free, fast, and can be done online. Once enrollment is complete, members will start immediately earning miles, taking advantage of exclusive benefits, and receiving updates on future promotions.*

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Throughout our 90-year history, Hawaiian Airlines has been committed to giving travelers unique opportunities to experience the Islands while they enjoy our award-winning hospitality. As an extension of that company-wide dedication, we launched our frequent flyer program in 1983 and have since grown to be recognized as one of the best frequent flyer programs of 2019.

*DISCLAIMER: The 40% bonus HawaiianMiles offer is valid from 6/7/19 – 6/14/19. New members must have a flight activity to be eligible to purchase miles. Miles must be purchased in 500-mile increments. Members may purchase miles online with a limit of 10,000 HawaiianMiles per transaction and up to three (3) transactions per week. Members may purchase an unlimited number of miles by calling the HawaiianMiles Service Center or Reservations. Miles may be purchased in conjunction with an award or credited in member's account for future award redemptions. Must be a HawaiianMiles member to purchase miles. Miles are non-transferable. Purchased miles are non-refundable. Members may login to purchase miles to be banked or they can call the HawaiianMiles Service Center toll free 1-877-HA-MILES (426-4537). Miles purchased to be used in conjunction with a flight award may be done online when booking an E-Award, or by calling the HawaiianMiles Service Center or Reservations. Purchases may be made with any valid MasterCard™, Visa™, American Express™, Diners™ or Discover™ credit or debit card. All HawaiianMiles terms and conditions apply to purchased miles. Miles purchased are instantly credited and applicable to award redemption.

Singapore airport’s new Jewel dazzles with five-story waterfall, nature walks

If airports held a World Cup, Singapore’s Changi would hold a record number of championships — winning consumer aviation website Skytrax’s annual award for best airport seven years in a row. Now its newest addition, the $1.25 billion Jewel hub, gives Changi the capacity to accommodate up to 85 million total passengers each year — and makes the case that an airport can be an attraction in its own right.

A self-described “lifestyle and entertainment destination hub,” the 10-story Jewel is set between three of Changi’s four terminals. With the opening of the Canopy Park family-oriented attractions on June 10, the hub is now fully ready to welcome 20 million visitors a year. More than half of them are expected to be locals not even bound for a plane.

Shake Shack is among the nearly 300 shops and restaurants in Jewel. (Photo by Kim I. Mott)

Alaska guests can check out Jewel for themselves via Global Partner Singapore Airlines, which will add a new direct route from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Changi starting Sept. 3.

In Jewel, it’s easy to forget you’re in an airport. The 455,000-square-foot complex is home to nearly 300 shops and eateries. It’s been a big hit with locals already: Shake Shack and the first Pokémon shop in Asia outside Japan each drew four-hour lines upon opening.

Jewel also has early check-in gates for more than two dozen airlines — including Alaska Global Partners British Airways, Emirates, Fiji Airways, Japan Airlines, Qantas and Singapore Airlines — as well as a cinema, a YotelAIR hotel and 2,500 underground parking spaces. The top-floor Canopy Park offers ticketed experiences like rope walks and futuristic slides below the glass of Jewel’s dramatic bulbous ceiling.

Many local eateries have found a home in Jewel, including Rich and Good Cake Shop, which makes “Swiss rolls” in various flavors that sell out by noon. (Photo by Kim I. Mott)

Jewel was designed by Safdie Architects, known for modern statements like Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, which has a prominent cameo in the film “Crazy Rich Asians.” The heart of Jewel — and most of the Instagram selfies — revolves around its five-story, 131-foot waterfall that appears suspended mid-air. Water rushes through a round oculus, cut from a towering dome above, then falls amidst a terraced forest valley home to 2,000 trees and 100,000 shrubs where nature walks and sitting areas look over the falls. Below, the water channels toward two underground levels encased in glass, passing Michelin-star ramen restaurants, reaching a walkway where visitors can press up against the surreal installation. Then, each evening, the whole thing gets a colored light show. It’s quite the sight.

(Photo by Robert Reid)

Book flights on Alaska partner Singapore Airlines here.

Scenes from Changi’s Jewel hub (Photos by Kim I. Mott)

Related stories:

Hawaiian Airlines Taps David LeNoir as Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis

HONOLULU – Hawaiian Airlines today announced the appointment of David M. LeNoir Jr. as vice president of financial planning and analysis. He will lead all aspects of financial planning, forecasting and analysis, as well as oversee Hawaiian’s financial governance and capital budgeting processes.

“David brings a wealth of airline and financial experience to the job,” said Shannon Okinaka, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Hawaiian. “His experience and business acumen will help us remain financially efficient and deliver great value to our guests as we continue to grow as a company.’’

LeNoir, a native of Mobile, Ala. comes to Hawaiian from Silver Airways, a regional airline based in Florida, where he was most recently vice president of finance and accounting. He previously held financial planning and analysis positions at Spirit Airlines and FedEx.

LeNoir graduated from Mississippi State University with undergraduate degrees in business administration and French.

About Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian® has led all U.S. carriers in on-time performance for each of the past 15 years (2004-2018) as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Consumer surveys by Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and TripAdvisor have placed Hawaiian among the top of all domestic airlines serving Hawai‘i.

Now in its 90th year of continuous service, Hawaiian is Hawai‘i’s biggest and longest-serving airline. Hawaiian offers non-stop service to Hawai‘i from more U.S. gateway cities (13) than any other airline, along with service from Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa and Tahiti. Hawaiian also provides, on average, more than 170 jet flights daily between the Hawaiian Islands, and over 260 daily flights system-wide.

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.

Russell Wilson to graduates: Savor the journey, but there’s no time to sleep

Just days away from graduation, hundreds of seniors from Highline Public Schools south of Seattle went on a special “field trip” with Alaska’s Chief Football Officer Russell Wilson at The Museum of Flight. Joined by Alaska COO Ben Minicucci and NASA Astronaut Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger, students were applauded for their academic excellence and encouraged to dream big as they define their futures.

“Today is about celebrating and supporting,” said Metcalf-Lindenburger, the first alumna of Space Camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center to go to space. “We celebrate the accomplishments these graduates made, and we support them by encouraging and modeling behaviors and habits that fueled our success.”

Alaska COO Ben Minicucci presents a scholarship to Hannah Flygare.

Minicucci and Wilson, on behalf of Alaska Airlines, presented a few exceptional graduates with scholarships to support them on the next leg of their journey. “It was very inspiring. I wasn’t prepared to be honored in such a way,” said Makena Halen of Choice Academy. “I’m still shaking.”

Danna Chavez of Tyee High School said she almost missed the event. “Today was amazing. I really want to thank Alaska Airlines,” she said. “Meeting Russell, who encouraged me to follow my dreams, was more than I could imagine.”

Each recipient has an inspiring personal story. After graduation, the students will pursue education and ultimately careers in diverse fields ranging from mechanical engineering to community literacy.

Wilson encouraged the students to face their fears as they chase their dreams – and to look for support along the way. “We all need to find motivation within ourselves to be successful, but it’s also important to have a strong support system that keeps us grounded,” Wilson said. “That can be family, friends or people we look up to.”

Although the speakers encouraged students to devote long hours toward achieving their goals, they also urged them to take time to celebrate their achievements along the way – and, most importantly, to savor the journey.

“This journey is yours and it’s up to you to decide where it takes you,” Wilson said. “Work hard, stay humble and surround yourself with people with the same relentless pursuit to perform at a high level. Keep the faith, keep believing.”

Russell Wilson captures the moment with Highline students. (Photo by Ingrid Barrentine)

No Time To Sleep: Graduation celebration

Photos by Ingrid Barrentine

Hawaiian Airlines Reports May 2019 Traffic Statistics

HA High Res Logo_mid

HONOLULU, June 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA) ("Hawaiian"), today announced its system-wide traffic statistics for the month ended May 31, 2019. 

(PRNewsfoto/Hawaiian Holdings, Inc.)

Hawaiian welcomed more than one million guests in May. Total traffic (revenue passenger miles) increased 5.8 percent on an increase of 4.1 percent in capacity (available seat miles) compared to May 2018. Load factor increased 1.4 points year-over-year to 87.3 percent.

The table below summarizes May and year-to-date statistics compared to the respective prior-year periods.

SYSTEM-WIDE OPERATIONS1

MAY

2019

2018

% CHANGE

PAX

1,006,639

1,011,175

(0.4%)

RPMs (000)

1,529,088

1,445,663

5.8%

ASMs (000)

1,752,268

1,683,228

4.1%

LF

87.3%

85.9%

1.4 pts
       

YEAR-TO-DATE

2019

2018

% CHANGE

PAX

4,776,711

4,864,128

(1.8%)

RPMS (000)

7,095,143

6,863,068

3.4%

ASMS (000)

8,296,158

8,042,653

3.2%

LF

85.5%

85.3%

0.2 pts
   

PAX

Passengers transported

RPM

Revenue Passenger Mile; one paying passenger transported one mile

ASM

Available Seat Mile; one seat transported one mile

LF

Load Factor; percentage of seating capacity filled
 

1Includes the operations of contract carriers under capacity purchase agreements.

About Hawaiian Airlines     

Hawaiian® has led all U.S. carriers in on-time performance for each of the past 15 years (2004-2018) as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Consumer surveys by Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and TripAdvisor have placed Hawaiian among the top of all domestic airlines serving Hawai'i.

Now in its 90th year of continuous service, Hawaiian is Hawai'i's biggest and longest-serving airline. Hawaiian offers non-stop service to Hawai'i from more U.S. gateway cities (13) than any other airline, along with service from Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa and Tahiti. Hawaiian also provides, on average, more than 170 jet flights daily between the Hawaiian Islands, and over 260 daily flights system-wide.

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:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hawaiian-airlines-reports-may-2019-traffic-statistics-300862367.html

SOURCE Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines, PACE Partner to Boost Flight Efficiency

HONOLULU – Hawaiian Airlines, the most punctual U.S. airline for 15 straight years, is equipping pilots with new tablet technology that enhances real-time aircraft and weather data delivered to the cockpit to advance the carrier’s industry-leading operational record.

Hawaiian last month became the first U.S. airline to adopt the Pacelab Flight Profile Optimizer (FPO), a cutting-edge application by Berlin-based software provider PACE that uses satellite communication to continuously inform flight crews about winds, projected turbulence and aircraft performance. Hawaiian’s Airbus A330 aircraft pilots can access updated information on their tablets throughout the flight to make any needed adjustments to chart the quickest, most comfortable and fuel-efficient trajectory from take-off to landing.
 

PACE in the cockpit

Hawaiian Airlines Captain Brian Beres, left, holds a tablet featuring the Pacelab Flight Profile Optimizer dashboard while preparing for a departure in the cockpit of an Airbus A330 aircraft.

 

Last year, Hawaiian lowered jet fuel burn by seven million gallons, enough to power 14,300 vehicles for one year, amid a fleet modernization and expanded efficiency initiatives. The airline estimates Pacelab FPO will reduce annual fuel consumption by an additional one percent – approximately 1.3 million gallons – and prevent more than 12,000 pounds of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere.

Pilots who operate Hawaiian’s 24-aircraft wide-body A330 fleet are utilizing Pacelab FPO on the airline’s network of non-stop flights connecting Hawai‘i to Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Tahiti, American Samoa, and the U.S. mainland. Hawaiian intends to make the software available aboard its mid-haul Airbus A321neo narrow-body fleet that will grow from 13 to 18 aircraft by early next year as the carrier increases service between U.S. West Coast cities and the Hawaiian Islands.

PACE Screen

A data visualization example of a Pacelab Flight Profile Optimizer.

 

“Pacelab FPO has been instrumental in helping determine the safest, most comfortable and efficient route on every flight,” said Capt. Brian Beres, senior director for flight standards and qualifications at Hawaiian Airlines. “Having previously removed heavy paper manuals and charts, Hawaiian is further increasing the utility of our Electronic Flight Bag tablets by providing real time decision support tools to allow pilots to optimize all phases of the flight. This means guests arrive on our islands well rested and on time to begin their vacation, while we further reduce our environmental footprint.”

“We’re delighted to welcome Hawaiian to the Pacelab community,” said Oliver Spaeth, director of sales at PACE. “We collaborated very closely on demonstrating the savings potential during the onboard software trial, which went really smoothly despite the 12-hour time difference between Hawaiian’s headquarters, pilots and our operational efficiency experts in Germany.”

Pacelab FPO continuously performs a holistic optimization for the remaining route to the destination and provides flight crews with actionable data to maximize operational efficiency, flight punctuality and passenger comfort given current flight conditions. The optimization uses real-time avionics data and meteorological information, while respecting scheduled in-block times and a wide range of other airline-specific constraints.

About Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian® has led all U.S. carriers in on-time performance for each of the past 15 years (2004-2018) as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Consumer surveys by Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and TripAdvisor have placed Hawaiian among the top of all domestic airlines serving Hawai‘i.

Now in its 90th year of continuous service, Hawaiian is Hawai‘i’s biggest and longest-serving airline. Hawaiian offers non-stop service to Hawai‘i from more U.S. gateway cities (13) than any other airline, along with service from Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa and Tahiti. Hawaiian also provides, on average, more than 170 jet flights daily between the Hawaiian Islands, and over 260 daily flights system-wide.

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.

About PACE – a TXT company

Founded in Berlin in 1995, PACE has built a reputation for developing trail-blazing software products for the global aerospace and aviation industry. As part of TXT e-solutions, the company focuses on high-quality niches such as preliminary design & evaluation, on-board software, digital manufacturing, product configuration, flight operations and training & simulation.

TXT e-solutions is an international, specialized provider of advanced software solutions supporting customers in high-tech markets, most notably in the aerospace, aviation and automotive industries, in their mission- and business-critical core processes and throughout their product lifecycles.

Headquartered in Milan, TXT is listed on the Italian Stock Exchange and has subsidiaries in Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, the UK and the US.

For more information, please visit www.pace.de.

Explore “The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin” and San Francisco with the author and director

Mary Ann Singleton’s journey through 1970s San Francisco was deliciously specific — starting with her three Irish coffees at the storied Buena Vista Café and her introduction to the produce-aisle pick-up scene at the Marina Safeway. For more than 40 years, author Armistead Maupin has invited readers of his “Tales of the City” newspaper serial and subsequent novels to walk with Mary Ann and the other residents of 28 Barbary Lane as they explored the beauty and eccentricities of San Francisco — and discovered themselves and a diverse community along the way.

“When I was writing, I simply tried to stay in the moment, knowing that it would be an interesting history of the city if I was faithful to that,” Maupin told the Alaska Airlines Blog in a recent phone interview.

This summer, the journey continues in the new “Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City” series starting June 7 on Netflix. And Alaska Airlines guests have an additional opportunity to explore the author’s personal story through “The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin,” a documentary by director Jennifer M. Kroot available for free inflight viewing through June and July.

As part of Alaska’s sponsorship of Pride 2019 celebrations, the inflight entertainment features 18 films from the LGBTQ+ media-arts nonprofit Frameline – including Kroot’s 2014 documentary on the “Star Trek” legend-turned-political activist George Takei, “To Be Takei.” Alaska also is sponsoring Frameline43, The San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival running June 20-30.

The author and the filmmaker spoke with us at the end of May about the new series, the “Untold Tales” documentary — and shared some of the places they love in San Francisco.

Maupin writing in the San Francisco Chronicle newsroom in the 1970s. (Courtesy of “The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin.”)

These stories now span nine books and more than four decades. How do they resonate with readers today?

Armistead Maupin: They’re about young people who are looking for a home in a city, and looking for love. There was something called “Mona’s Law”: You can have a hot job, a hot apartment and a hot lover — but you can’t have all three at the same time. This was about the frustrations and joys of being young in a new place, and that is universal.

Jennifer Kroot: There are some new San Franciscans who confide to me that they moved here recently because someone lent them one of the early “Tales of the City” books and it meant something to them. Sometimes they’re gay people, sometimes they’re not. But they love the spirit of the book and they wanted to find that feeling.

Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis in the new series coming to Netflix June 7. (Courtesy of Netflix)

The Netflix series brings back Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis in roles they originated in the first miniseries that aired in 1994 on PBS — and Ellen Page joins the cast as Mary Ann’s grown daughter. What are some themes explored in the new series?

AM: This show particularly encourages the notion of intergenerational communication. There are young gay men who are talking to older gay men who remember the horrors of the AIDS epidemic, and there’s an older trans character talking to a young trans man about her experience and advising him on his. All of it’s about talking to each other. We need to do that more than ever.

My youngsters from the earlier miniseries are now the elders. The story is not just concerned with the young; it’s also concerned with their relationship with older people. And they’re all looking for love in one way or another. There are lots of surprises. I love that they reveal themselves at their own speed.

Charlie Barnett and Murray Bartlett in the new series. (Courtesy of Netflix)

What are some of the important places in San Francisco for you and for the characters?

AM: I was always in love with Russian Hill. That’s why Barbary Lane was set there and it made sense to go back there in Jennifer’s documentary. We had the most serendipitous thing happen: A flock of wild parrots landed in the lane as we were there with the cameras. We didn’t stage that scene in the doc. They were just there. And that’s one of the wonders of San Francisco — that this kind of beauty can happen at any time.

“Tales of the City” was sort of a scrapbook of places I loved. Caffe Sport, which is still there, is a wonderful old kitschy, artifact-laden Italian tavern in North Beach and an experience I still enjoy. I had Mona and Mrs. Madrigal have dinner there one night before they went to see “Beach Blanket Babylon,” which is on the verge of closing.

Ellen Page and Zosia Mamet in the new series. (Courtesy of Netflix)

JK: Russian Hill is an area where, in the ‘70s, there were society people but regular people could live there, too. We don’t really have that much anymore. San Francisco is really expensive everywhere now.

The stories show the characters’ discovery of their “logical family” — the circle of people who celebrate them for who they are. (“Logical Family” is also the title of Maupin’s recent memoir.) What advice do you have for people searching for their own logical family?

AM: That is really the theme of all of my work. I found great relief in discovering that I could form my own family and not have to deal with the strictures of the biological family. I came from a very conservative, rigid, ancestor-worshipping family from the South that only cared about the Civil War. And when I found that I could replace that with art and theater and interesting people, it was a delight. I tell people that if you need to change your life, do. It’s crazy to suffer at the hands of people who don’t accept you for who you are. That’s not just applicable to queer folks. It’s anybody who’s in an oppressive situation. If you realize that you’re the architect of your own life, you can make so much joy for yourself and for others by being true to who you are.

The actor George Takei in the documentary “To Be Takei.” (Courtesy of “To Be Takei”)

Jennifer, you have two documentaries showing on Alaska Airlines: “The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin” and “To Be Takei.” What drew you to these stories?

JK: And I have a third documentary prior to those, “It Came From Kuchar,” about the Kuchar brothers, gay twins who were underground filmmakers. We call it the “Gay Geezer Trilogy” — and I have to give Armistead credit for coining that.

For these two, it was really fun to connect the dots. In George Takei’s case: How do you go from being imprisoned by the United States government at age 5 because you’re Japanese American and we’re at war with the Japanese, and then becoming a science fiction hero, and then coming out around age 68? With Armistead, how could you grow up with a tyrannical right-wing father and desperately want to please him — but inside you know that isn’t who you are. The bravery that takes is really hard. How do you become this open voice that has reached so many people about not only his homosexuality, but also his progressive spirit? I find it very inspiring.

Maupin and his husband, Christopher Turner, walk through the Castro neighborhood in San Francisco. (Courtesy of “The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin”)

Are there more stories about the “Tales of the City” characters coming in the future?

AM: I just signed a contract for a new “Tales”-themed novel. It’s not a continuation, but a deep dive into the middle of the story. I’m going to write about Mona Ramsey at the manor house she moved into at the end of “Babycakes.” A lot of people have complained that I left her there and never explained what that was like, and so I’ll be writing a book called “Mona of the Manor.”

Armistead, you and your husband recently moved to London. Was it hard to leave San Francisco?

AM: This is another city I’m enchanted with, and my husband is as well. Frankly, I wanted a new adventure late in life. If you’re lucky enough to be with somebody who wants to take on something new, it becomes a grand adventure.

At Alaska, our pride flies nonstop:

As longtime supporters of the LGBTQ+ community, we at Alaska remain committed to a building a more equitable society. We’re showing our #MostWestCoast love by continuing our partnerships with seven West Coast Pride events in 2019, and by offering a 10% discount on flights for a limited time to select California destinations. Look for Alaska employees marching in seven Pride parades this year. Learn more.

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