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Which inter island airline would you use?

Zac495

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
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Location
Philadelphia, PA
I just booked Oahu - tired! I was up late grabbing Hilton. I have 3 nights so far - must do it 4 more nights - then I can start worrying about Kauai.But for now, which is the best inner island airline- especially with a possible strike looming -for a July 2009 flight? Or should I wait to book that? I do have exact dates. Thanks.
 
Good Question

I have two weeks at Ko Olina in August 2009, but am trying to get a week in Maui or Kaui. I was told by II that Kaui is a very tough trade. I am hoping to a lsat minute trade to either island. Otherwise, I guess I am stuck at Ko Olina for two weeks! :)
 
Just went through this same problem for next July. Every flight on Hawaiian was already completely booked for the times we wanted to fly. Our choice was spend 3 hours sitting in the airport and fly on Hawaiian or book on Go. As much as it pained me to do it, we booked on Go.
 
We flew Island Air once and were quite pleased. That little plane will stop on a dime--almost. We landed at Lihue during a downpour and the pilot said I'll try it once and if I can't get it down safely back we go to Oahu. I feel safer in that plane than the commercial jets--it is designed for the short runways of Canada.

Sterling
 
I would not be concerned about a strike in July 2009.

Fly on Hawaiian airlines.

-David
 
I have two weeks at Ko Olina in August 2009, but am trying to get a week in Maui or Kaui. I was told by II that Kaui is a very tough trade. I am hoping to a lsat minute trade to either island. Otherwise, I guess I am stuck at Ko Olina for two weeks! :)

Yes - it's tough. I opened up to a one bedroom. They said that would make it easier. Luckily we have hotel certificates - so if we don't get a trade - we have a beautiful hotel:cheer:

Thanks for the air suggestions. I'll do it quickly.
 
We always plan far in advance to utilize FF miles and definately prefer Hawaiian! Island Air lost our luggage, once, which really put a damper on our Maui vacation. We have never tried GO and after the business with Aloha, we wouldn't give GO our business. :annoyed:
 
Another vote for Hawaiian Airlines. I've flown them many times and have always been satisfied. Island Air is OK too but their planes are small and can't take much luggage.
 
GO Airlines has good prices and lots of cheap seats - 64 bucks - at lots of times. Please tell me, are some of the airlines more difficult to get to in the airport? We'd be leaving Oahu after a week and going on to Kauai. Is that LIH?

I just want to be sure I'm choosing the best for me. I know some are bigger planes, some smaller. I don't really care unless one is known to be dangerous or anything.

Island air had less availability.

Hawaiian air makes me nervous due to the strike though it's almost a year from now.

any advice is appreciated.
 
LIH is indeed the airport in Kauai.

Go has been using predatory pricing to try to get the other airlines out of business. They already succeeded with Aloha. They have been in financial trouble themselves but I don't know where they are today. They are part of Mesa Airlines.

The airport in HNL is not all that big. I wouldn't expect there to be much difference between accessibility to any of the airlines.

I would prefer Hawaiian, but for a significant price difference I would probably fly Island Air or Go too. I've flown on Island Air and I actually like the slower, lower flight paths they take.
 
I,ended,up,picking,Hawaiian,for,July,when,I,booked,through,Orbitz,for,my
inter,Island,flights.
 
It is a little harder to get to Go because they are in a different terminal. You can either take the shuttle or walk to the gate inside the main terminal where the Go desk is and a Go employee will walk you across the tarmac to the other terminal. You don't have to go through security again with the 2nd method, but I'm not sure about the shuttle.

I would go with the lowest price, and I wouldn't let a strike worry me. Since Go is not the most stable Co., the chance that Go may go out of business is at least as much of a risk as a HA strike. If I was looking at risk only, I'd go with HA.
 
Denise,

There's a passenger walkway between the interisland terminal and the commuter terminal. It's 'airside', so it's inside the secure area.

-David
 
It is a little harder to get to Go because they are in a different terminal. You can either take the shuttle or walk to the gate inside the main terminal where the Go desk is and a Go employee will walk you across the tarmac to the other terminal. You don't have to go through security again with the 2nd method, but I'm not sure about the shuttle.

If you take the shuttle you have to go back through security. Walking to the terminal is better.

Dave
 
Denise,

There's a passenger walkway between the interisland terminal and the commuter terminal. It's 'airside', so it's inside the secure area.

-David

Hi David - It's been 2 years since we flew on Go, but a Go employee met us in the main terminal at one of the gates and walked us outside and across that tarmac to the other terminal. It wasn't a walkway, we were just walking across the tarmac between the two buildings. I guess that's changed - sorry if I confused anyone!
 
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Hi David - It's been 2 years since we flew on Go, but a Go employee met us in the main terminal at one of the gates and walked us outside and across that tarmac to the other terminal. It wasn't a walkway, we were just walking across the tarmac between the two buildings. I guess that's changed - sorry if I confused anyone!

Yes, it must have changed. The only time I did this was a few months ago after Hawaiian canceled my inter-island flight from Maui to Honolulu. I ended up buying a walk-up fare on Go! so I wouldn't miss my international connection to Asia. That was my only option at the time. (And I wasn't particularly happy about it, but I was out of options.)

They apparently built a covered walkway between the remote end of the interisland terminal and the commuter terminal, so they no longer have to escort you across the tarmac.

Although, you still board and deplane on the tarmac using stairs at the commuter terminal. If you want to walk to the interisland terminal, you just enter the commuter terminal, don't exit security, and follow the signs. And there's signs in the interisland terminal directing you to the commuter terminal walkway.

-David
 
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They apparently built a covered walkway between the remote end of the interisland terminal and the commuter terminal, so they no longer have to escort you across the tarmac.

Thanks, David - that sounds much more convenient and I will file that away for future reference. :hi:
 
Yes, it must have changed. The only time I did this was a few months ago after Hawaiian canceled my inter-island flight from Maui to Honolulu. I ended up buying a walk-up fare on Go! so I wouldn't miss my international connection to Asia. That was my only option at the time. (And I wasn't particularly happy about it, but I was out of options.)

They apparently built a covered walkway between the remote end of the interisland terminal and the commuter terminal, so they no longer have to escort you across the tarmac.

Although, you still board and deplane on the tarmac using stairs at the commuter terminal. If you want to walk to the interisland terminal, you just enter the commuter terminal, don't exit security, and follow the signs. And there's signs in the interisland terminal directing you to the commuter terminal walkway.

-David

If the connecting airline does not have a baggage agreement with Go! do you still need to get your baggage and then go through security again?
 
In the case of Zac, she'll have stayed in Oahu the previous days so the changing terminals shouldn't be an issue. I assume the rental car shuttles and taxis can drop you off right at the terminal, correct?
 
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n the case of Zac, she'll have stayed in Oahu the previous days so the changing terminals shouldn't be an issue. I assume the rental car shuttles and taxis can crop you off right at the terminal, correct?

That's what I was thinking. I've been looking at timetables. I think leaving Oahu around noon would be easiest - no rush in the morning - and rooms ready upon arrival in Kauai. But Hawaiian has 11 am and 4 pm. All in between sold. Are there hidden luggage charges on Go or Island air or any others? If it's a one way hop, does it seem best to go with the most convient time and price? I should purchase soon.
 
Yes, it must have changed. The only time I did this was a few months ago after Hawaiian canceled my inter-island flight from Maui to Honolulu. I ended up buying a walk-up fare on Go! so I wouldn't miss my international connection to Asia. That was my only option at the time. (And I wasn't particularly happy about it, but I was out of options.)

They apparently built a covered walkway between the remote end of the interisland terminal and the commuter terminal, so they no longer have to escort you across the tarmac.

Although, you still board and deplane on the tarmac using stairs at the commuter terminal. If you want to walk to the interisland terminal, you just enter the commuter terminal, don't exit security, and follow the signs. And there's signs in the interisland terminal directing you to the commuter terminal walkway.

-David

We were just there in August and after our Continental flight was late in arriving, they put us on a Go flight. We went to the escalator past all the Hawaiian Airlines gates, down the escalator and walked under a canopy to a place where the arriving passengers from Go were being directed to the main HNL terminal or outside. From there we were escorted outside along the tarmac to the commuter terminal (approx. 100 yards) where we checked in, waited for and boarded our flight.

I have included a link to a map of the terminal which will show you the way.
 
If the connecting airline does not have a baggage agreement with Go! do you still need to get your baggage and then go through security again?

If they do not have a baggage agreement you will need to leave the secure area of the main terminal, retrieve your baggage and re-check it once you have gone through security again at the commuter terminal.
 
We were just there in August and after our Continental flight was late in arriving, they put us on a Go flight. We went to the escalator past all the Hawaiian Airlines gates, down the escalator and walked under a canopy to a place where the arriving passengers from Go were being directed to the main HNL terminal or outside. From there we were escorted outside along the tarmac to the commuter terminal (approx. 100 yards) where we checked in, waited for and boarded our flight.

Yeah, the covered walkway connects the interisland terminal to the commuter terminal, inside security. They may have been doing some work there that day, I suppose, because there was no escort needed between the two terminals when I did it in July.

-David
 
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