For the last few years, one of the most highly anticipated aircraft deliveries
has been Hawaiian Airlines’ Boeing 787s. If all goes well, 2022 is expected to be the year that
the airline takes on the type. To learn more about what Hawaiian has planned for the jet, Simple
Flying spoke with Brent Overbeek, SVP of Revenue Management and Network Planning at the airline.
Hawaiian first announced in 2018
that it would order ten 787-9s as part of its fleet expansion and renewal.
Choosing the jets over the Airbus A330neo, the first planes were expected to arrive in 2021.
Since then, there has been a lot of behind-the-scenes work going on to induct the 787.
Hawaiian has opted for a new business class product on the aircraft over what is on their
existing A330s. The new product will still be a lie-flat offering, though it will be enhanced
compared to the A330 and will likely be one of the best ways to get to Hawaii in business class.
In October of 2020, Hawaiian reached an agreement to defer the delivery schedule of its 787s.
This was mainly due to the impact of the global health crisis. Under the revised delivery plan,
Hawaiian expects to take its first of ten firm 787s this year, with deliveries completed in 2026.
The airline is hoping to take its first jet in the first quarter,
though that timeline remains contingent on Boeing’s ability to resume deliveries of the jet.
Mr. Overbeek discussed the availability of markets where the 787 could fly, saying
that they’ll be dedicated to certain markets. “There’s going to be some advantages to the 787,
certainly, you know when you look at it at longer hauls, whether it be to the East Coast or
Australia or Japan. Certainly the the fuel burn of the 787 gets more attractive than the A330
depending on fuel price. I think when we get to talking about configuration as well,
we’ll have a slightly different configuration on both, so we’ll be able to match the right
airplane with the market and the product demand and be able to optimize on that.”
On the topic of maintenance, newer aircraft traditionally have better
operational reliability. However, the planes still need to undergo regular maintenance cycles
and Hawaiian does a significant amount of its maintenance on the West Coast.
On flying aircraft in that direction, Overbeek stated:
“Initially it’s going to fit within that same paradigm in terms of entry into service and an
access to a maintenance base on the West Coast and just in terms of aircraft productivity.
This will most certainly apply to the larger markets like Los Angeles and San Francisco
on the West Coast, where the Airbus A330 also operates. However, as the fleet grows,
the options grow because Hawaiian can be more flexible in terms of scheduling its maintenance.
For example, Hawaiian can have a dedicated schedule where its 787s fly on specific routes
with the intention of letting them access a maintenance base and rotate planes in and
out of those schedules to allow them to fly other routes that don’t have access to such facilities.
While the 787 has some fantastic game-changing range, Mr. Overbeek
stated that his airline did not specifically acquire the aircraft for this ability, saying:
“When we elected to acquire the 787, the range wasn’t a huge driver of our decision.
We were more interested in the operating economics of the aircraft in terms of fuel efficiency.”
In terms the aircraft’s place in Hawaiian’s fleet,
it is more appropriate to consider it as a way to improve fuel efficiency and create an enhanced,
dedicated offering for select routes- rather than a way to expand the airline’s long-haul network.
However, that doesn’t mean Hawaiian Airlines will ignore the capability of the aircraft.
But for now, expect the jet to have a gradual induction that focuses on
operational reliability and schedule consistency. If all goes well, this year could finally be the
year that passengers get to board a brand new 787 in Hawaiian’s colorful livery.
What do you think of the airline’s decision to purchase this aircraft?
Are you excited to see it in the fleet? Let us know in the comments.