May 23, 2008
Remember that inter-island airfare price war in Hawaii? It's over and prices are skyrocketing
There's trouble brewing in Hawaii (ah, woe), and you have more and more reason to plan your trip cautiously (using credit cards to pay for everything).
Here's what's happened:
In July of 2006, a new cost-cutting airline called Go! began flying between the Hawaiian islands (like Oahu to Maui) for as little as $39 each way. A violent price war broke out and we all rejoiced to see rates as low as $19 for these trips from one paradise to another. Inevitably, one of the inter-island carriers -- Aloha Airlines -- went kerplunk, and prices soon zoomed to $74 and $84 for, say, Oahu to Maui or Kauai to the Big Island.
Go! Airlines is owned by Mesa Air Group, a big, huge, regional airline of mainland America, that operates a great many flights under such names as Delta Connection, U.S. Airways Express, United Express, and so on. Well, this week Mesa Air Group announced that it may have to file in bankruptcy if big Delta Airlines goes ahead with plans to stop using Mesa Air Group.
If Mesa goes, think a great many people in Hawaii, then Go! will go. And prices will again zoom upwards for flights between the various Hawaiian islands (I wouldn't be surprised to see rates of $119 for a one-way hop). If you're planning, nevertheless, to use Go! on your own trip to Hawaii, be sure to pay for your tickets with a credit card.
Meanwhile, guess who's smiling? As recently as three weeks ago, people were laying bets that the new, seasick-making, Superferry -- which charges as little as $49 to sail between Oahu and Maui one-way by sea -- might have to cease operations because of competition from the air. Now the Superferry may end up as the one cheap method of moving between the islands, which would make it enormously popular. Just remember to take Bonine before boarding.
Write and read comments about this post.
Here's what's happened:
In July of 2006, a new cost-cutting airline called Go! began flying between the Hawaiian islands (like Oahu to Maui) for as little as $39 each way. A violent price war broke out and we all rejoiced to see rates as low as $19 for these trips from one paradise to another. Inevitably, one of the inter-island carriers -- Aloha Airlines -- went kerplunk, and prices soon zoomed to $74 and $84 for, say, Oahu to Maui or Kauai to the Big Island.
Go! Airlines is owned by Mesa Air Group, a big, huge, regional airline of mainland America, that operates a great many flights under such names as Delta Connection, U.S. Airways Express, United Express, and so on. Well, this week Mesa Air Group announced that it may have to file in bankruptcy if big Delta Airlines goes ahead with plans to stop using Mesa Air Group.
If Mesa goes, think a great many people in Hawaii, then Go! will go. And prices will again zoom upwards for flights between the various Hawaiian islands (I wouldn't be surprised to see rates of $119 for a one-way hop). If you're planning, nevertheless, to use Go! on your own trip to Hawaii, be sure to pay for your tickets with a credit card.
Meanwhile, guess who's smiling? As recently as three weeks ago, people were laying bets that the new, seasick-making, Superferry -- which charges as little as $49 to sail between Oahu and Maui one-way by sea -- might have to cease operations because of competition from the air. Now the Superferry may end up as the one cheap method of moving between the islands, which would make it enormously popular. Just remember to take Bonine before boarding.
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: hawaii
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