# Hawaiian Air new coach plus class



## cvmar (Dec 28, 2009)

Hawaiian Air now has a new flight class called "Coach Plus" - For the additional cost you get the first 2 checked bags free, no change fee and 25% off inter island travel.

So now if the regular coach class sells out first you would have no choice but to purchase a coach plus ticket. I guess there are pluses & minuses depending on each persons travel situation.


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## DeniseM (Dec 28, 2009)

cvmar said:


> Hawaiian Air now has a new flight class called "Coach Plus" - For the additional cost you get the first 2 checked bags free, no change fee and 25% off inter island travel.
> 
> So now if the regular coach class sells out first you would have no choice but to purchase a coach plus ticket. I guess there are pluses & minuses depending on each persons travel situation.



But you still sit in coach?  No thanks!


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## cvmar (Dec 28, 2009)

DeniseM said:


> But you still sit in coach?  No thanks!



Yes you are quite right, you still sit in coach. There is also no way to know how many seats are alloted to each *coach* class since everyone still sits in coach.


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## DeniseM (Dec 28, 2009)

I don't see the value in this:

First of all, if you book your flight clear through, (book your flight to Honolulu and to an outer island on one ticket) you don't need to buy an interisland ticket and it's cheaper than booking 2 separate flights!

Secondly, no one needs to check 2 bags to Hawaii - that is just way too much stuff for a hot tropical location, especially when you are staying in a TS with a washer and dryer.  (Except maybe scuba divers.)  If you just pay for the 2 bags in advance, the cost is $15 for the first bag and $25 for the 2nd bag.

I guess the "no change fee" has some value, since they charge $100 - $150 to change dates, but is the difference in ticket price more or less than $100?

I just did a quick search and it looks like for a RT flight in July Coach + is $90 more than coach.


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## LisaRex (Dec 28, 2009)

United Air has a class called "Economy Plus" which is a coach seat with up to 5 additional inches of legroom.  Are we sure Coach Plus doesn't offer the same?


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## DeniseM (Dec 28, 2009)

Lisa - there are no seats like that on Hawaiian Air, except first class, unless they are getting all new planes.


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## djyamyam (Dec 29, 2009)

DeniseM said:


> Secondly, no one needs to check 2 bags to Hawaii



Sure you do.  One is clothes and the other is the golf bag or surf board


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## DeniseM (Dec 29, 2009)

djyamyam said:


> Sure you do.  One is clothes and the other is the golf bag or surf board



OK on the golf clubs - but no one needs two bags of clothes, and Hawaiian Air doesn't count a surf board as a bag - they charge $100 for a surf board.


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## koruman (Dec 29, 2009)

To be fair to Hawaiian, there is every indication that on their new aircraft "Coach Plus" will be like Premium Economy on international airlines.

Premium Economy normally features 38-40 inch legroom and wider seats, with multi-channel entertainment, in-seat power and included premium meals and  unlimited alcoholic and soft drinks. Unlike United's Economy Plus it is a separate class that has to be bought.

It's a great deal for passengers - near Business (what you call First) like comfort at roughly 30-50% more than the cost of coach (whereas business class usually costs at least twice as much).

From the airline's point of view it is recession-proof and they can still fit in a lot of Premium Economy seats, while of course their profit margin is big.

Typically when an airline instals Premium Economy it halves the size of its First/Business cabin (say from 36 to 20 seats) and then adds say 24 Premium Economy seats.

Oh, and there are no elite upgrades from Economy to First anymore - upgrades are from paid Coach to Premium Economy or paid Premium Economy to First. This can be good for frequent flyers, as they can buy Premium Economy seats and only compete against other Premium Economy seat-purchasers for upgrades into First.


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## DeniseM (Dec 29, 2009)

That sounds lovely - but aren't you talking about planes that aren't even in service yet?  They are selling these seats NOW and they are regular coach seats, no extra amenities, for $90 more.

Also - you can't book Coach+ with award miles...


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## isisdave (Feb 3, 2010)

I've been looking at this and have found some more details.

First, it's confirmed that the seats are actually the same as regular coach. I don't think there is a different seating section, as there are no different inflight services.  In fact, there may not be a separate number of seats allocated to this class .. it might just be a surcharge on the coach fare.

And right now, for June-July at least, the surcharge is $45 each (transPacific) way.  You get three "things":

1. Two free checked bags ... which now cost $25 for the first and $35 for the second. I agree that you don't need more than one bag of clothes for Hawaii, but if you have sports equipment, this may have some value. But it doesn't apply to oversize, overweight, etc., fees, so I don't think it covers your surfboard. But if you're taking two bags, there's no reason NOT to buy Coach Plus.

2. No change fee. This covers only the change fee itself, not any difference in fare. I find this attractive now as I might book a certain return date, and later take advantage of a cheaper fare a couple of days later if it appears.  Wholly unused tickets can be credited for one year from date of purchase. Partially unused tickets can be used for up to a year from the first travel date. That's an interesting difference.

3. An e-certificate, good for one year from purchase, for 25% off "an inter-island trip". It doesn't say if a "trip" is one-way or round-trip. And it's not clear if I can buy a LAX-HNL round trip, for example, and get the discount off an interisland trip between the dates of the trans-Pacific flights, or if the interisland flight has to be in the future. [Anyone have any experience with this?]  Since the validity is only a year from purchase, this reduces the value of this benefit when booking, for example, summer flights that have to be booked months in advance.


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## amanven (Feb 3, 2010)

DeniseM said:


> OK on the golf clubs - but no one needs two bags of clothes, and Hawaiian Air doesn't count a surf board as a bag - they charge $100 for a surf board.


I am definitely not trying to be rude Denise but I have seen and personally know people who can't fit all the clothes they take on a vacation into two bags.  They're terrified someone might see them wearing the same outfit twice during the week and would be mortified if they couldn't pack at least 6 belts, 10 pairs of shorts,  8 pairs of shoes and a dozen or more shirts, dresses, outerwear, or whatever else you can name for a 7 day stay.
Personally for myself and my family, we prefer to travel light because we invariably come back with more than we originally packed but there are people out there (and unfortunately I have had to travel with some of them) who just can't leave home without taking the whole closet with them.


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## teepeeca (Feb 3, 2010)

*AMENVAN---and others !!!*

"I", NEED to pack at "least" two bags, going to Hawaii !!  Of course, one would be a  "fanny-pack", and the other would be a "carry-on".

All you really need is swimming trunks, "maybe" some shorts/underware, and a shirt, or two.  If you need "long pants", formal shirt, leather shoes,---you are in the wrong place !!!

You are SUPPOSED TO RELAX---NOT to impress people with your wardrobe !!!

My wife and I have been going to hawaii "many years", and have stopped bringing "formal wear" (long pants, etc.) for about the last 15+ years.  ("IF" I really need to "dress-up"---I'll forego that experience !!!)

Tony


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## RLG (Feb 4, 2010)

They are also offering this on interisland flights as well, although the price premium is lower.  

At first, my reaction was "no way" since I already get the free bags as a premier member.

However, I realized that for me, the "no change fee" feature actually has significant value.  On an itin I priced recently, the choice was $67 coach or $83 coach plus.  If I think there's more than a 25% change I would change my plans, the more expensive ticket is better.

Obviously, people coming from the mainland with timeshare reservations may have a much lower likelihood of changing their plans.  However, for them, the free bags are probably valuable.


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## scrapngen (Feb 4, 2010)

I could see this as great for people who actually live in Hawaii. I know people who travel to the mainland once or twice a year to shop at major stores - and also take several inter-island trips a year to visit relatives, etc. This will be great for them! However, not sure how it will help once-a-year TS visitors.
Maybe if you plan to island hop over a couple weeks??


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## John Cummings (Feb 5, 2010)

I don't see any value in this unless you get premium seating with more room.

Jet Blue has premium seating for a very low cost. They charge $15 extra for the first 6 rows that have considerably more leg room.


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## SteveChapin (Feb 5, 2010)

DeniseM said:


> That sounds lovely - but aren't you talking about planes that aren't even in service yet?



It's not uncommon for the airlines to reconfigure seating; the seats mount to the floor and can be moved.  It may be that flights featuring coach plus have had a row or two of seats removed and other seats slid forward/back to spread them out slightly.

I don't know whether or not HA did that; I'm just saying they don't need to order new planes to accommodate a larger seat pitch.


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