For almost a century, the letters HA and the callsign “Hawaiian” have been synonymous with air travel to and within the Hawaiian Islands. Now, as part of its merger with Alaska Airlines, a major change is coming. When Hawaiian Airlines flight 866 departed American Samoa’s Pago Pago International Airport (PPG) for Honolulu (HNL) on October 29th, it marked the final flight to use the identifiers HA/HAL—along with the iconic callsign “HAWAIIAN”.
Subsequent flights carried out by birds painted in the Hawaiian livery will be using Alaska Airlines’ designators AS (IATA), ASA (ICAO), as well as the callsign “ALASKA.”
Hawaiian and Alaska: when two become one
The change comes as part of the broader integration of Hawaiian into Alaska’s operating structure. Alaska Air Group completed its acquisition of Hawaiian in September 2024 and as part of that merger, the two airlines are transitioning toward a single operating certificate (SOC). This transition brings unified systems and common codes, and the consolidation of flight identifiers is likely to spark an emotional reaction among longtime enthusiasts of the airline.
Will you miss the old callsign? Or is this nothing but a natural step forward, and a breath of new life for a legacy that continues under a different name?
13 Responses
Hawaiian Airlines offered a unique travel experience to the islands that will be lost when everything becomes Alaska. I myself paid extra to fly and experience the high quality they offered. Sad to see it all now become Alaska but as these companies merge I guess it’s a loss for the customers.
Even interisland flights will not be HA any more? What a slap down to local flights between the islands.
Why couldn’t it stay Hawaiian. People that have lived or do live n Hawaii Nei feel a part of Identifying the airlines as some part of their soul an Spirit. Proud to b Hawaiian. Why not keep it the same name.
A hui hou Hawaiian Airline..,it’s been years of Good traveling HA to Interisland trips. I’m going to miss that Aloha phrase… “Welcome to Hawaiian”. New merger and New Airline…It’s was my pleasure serving Hawaiian Airlines throughout my wonderful and safe journey around the Hawaiian Islands. Thank you and Aloha.👏👏👏🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽🥰🥰🥰♥️♥️♥️
Just another corporate acquisition killing the islands heritage & culture, one flight at a time. I’m sad.
Goodbye Hawaiian…sad day. But inevitable? I was assuming that ALASKA would turn the carrier back into an intrastate carrier and make Alaska THE global brand. The irony is that both Alaska and Hawaiian are named after the last two US states to join the country. Both names are so regional sounding that they really need a new name. But then it wouldn’t be the Alaska that we know and love. What’s wrong with being a North American carrier?
So disappointing. Alaska is the inferior brand. I’ve flown both many times. No comparison. The end of a great airline.
Sooooo
Almost 100 years later, Hawaiian Airlines finally fell to the economics of the airline industry and of course poor management, which was avoided for awhile by Bruce Nobles and Mark Dunkerely.
The one thing that is never brought up is the fact that Hawaiian Airlines holds the world’s airline safety record. There has NEVER been an aircraft incident or accident at Hawaiian Airlines that involved any loss of life. The naysayers will tell you it’s because we flew in good weather all the time. Tell that to the pilots that flew Desert storm mission’s or the pilots that flew to New York, Boston, Orlando, Japan,Australia and New Zealand.The reality is Hawaiian had the best pilots, period dot, end of statement.
We had old pilots, we had young pilots, we had military pilots and we had civilian pilots. All the pilots ar Hawaiian were dedicated to the safety culture ingrained in our training.
So the end of an era is upon us.
Long live Hawaiian Airlines
Ken Sussel
Captain Hawaiian Airlines
Retired
Thank you for your pilots skill and great airplanes. So sad
Experienced flyers know that taking off from and landing at island airports often subjects you to the most surprising winds, lol! You can have wind socks all down the whole field, but over the water and even just 1500 feet above, that sea air does what it wants.
It could be windless and beautiful weather all it wants, then that crosswind hits your tail just 300 feet after you leave the runway and be thankful you have a good pilot. 😀
The Azores were the craziest! Beautiful weather almost every day, but it could go from zero to a steady 60 kts straight across the runway in less than a minute.
I loved the beauty of the Hawaiian airplanes. Whoever did their paint jobs should be noted. The planes were always so pretty coming into Seattle. I lived there for 29 years, or in area. I hope Alaska continues those gorgeous paint jobs.
This an inevitable and not infrequent occurrence in the airline industry. Those folks looking to take affront by a name change are the folks who set out to find things to be outraged about – an all too common occurrence these days. Relax, your culture is not being attacked by an airline code and radio callsign change.
Sad to see it go!
My vacation started the minute I stepped onto Hawaiian Airlines!