The move is unrelated to the engine issues in Hawaiian’s Airbus A321neo fleet.
Hawaiian Airlines is reducing its year-round New Zealand route to seasonal service, a move that will help the carrier add capacity elsewhere during the northern hemisphere summer season.
After the current southern peak season finishes on April 2, Hawaiian will suspend its Auckland service until Nov. 15, 2024. It will then return for the next November-April season.
Hawaiian began operating to Auckland in 2013. The carrier decided on the latest changes because this market has become even more seasonal since it resumed after the COVID-19 pandemic, said Brent Overbeek, Hawaiian’s executive vice president and chief revenue officer.
The move is unrelated to the engine issues in Hawaiian’s Airbus A321neo fleet that have disrupted the airline’s network plans.
While June and July are traditionally busy months for travel out of Auckland, that is also a very strong period for Hawaiian in the North American market, Overbeek noted. The carrier will be able to redeploy this capacity either to the U.S. mainland or Japan, for example.
Hawaiian Airlines is due to report its third-quarter earnings on Oct. 24. It will give further updates then about the effect of the A321neo engine issues, and the recovery of Hawaiian’s crucial Japan market.
In general, Hawaiian has been continuing to ramp up in the Japan market, Overbeek said. Service increases are planned later this month and in November. It is an encouraging sign that load factors on Japan flights are approaching pre-pandemic levels.
Overbeek confirmed that Hawaiian’s first Boeing 787 delivery remains on track to arrive in January, entering service in April.
