Hawaiian Airlines to Launch Flights between Honolulu and Seoul-Incheon

Hawaiian Airlines is planning to launch nonstop flights between Honolulu and Seoul-Incheon International Airport starting in January 2011, pending approval from South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (MLTM).

Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian’s president and CEO, said, “The addition of Incheon is an important step in our vision to expand Hawaiian’s business into the fastest growing region in the world. This new nonstop service from one of the world’s largest gateway cities will increase visitors to Hawaii not only from Korea, but from all of Asia.”

South Korea is a key visitor market targeted by Hawaii’s state tourism marketers as one offering significant potential for growth with its recent addition to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. Seoul, the nation’s capital city, has grown into a teeming metropolis with a population of more than 11 million people, representing almost 25% of the entire county's population. Its modern international airport at Incheon (ICN) is one of the largest air traffic hubs in Asia and has been recognized by Airports Council International as the Best Airport Worldwide for five consecutive years.

“Incheon welcomes Hawaiian Airlines," said CW Lee, President and CEO of Incheon International Airport Corporation. “We have been looking forward to this new service, because in less than two years with the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) between the USA and South Korea, the number of Korean travelers to Hawaii has exploded, with a record-breaking increase of 91% in the first quarter of 2010.”

Hawaiian will initially operate its new service four times weekly using 264-seat Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, adding more than 54,000 new air seats annually between Honolulu and Incheon. The company plans to increase service on the route in 2011 as its long range fleet expansion progresses.

Flight #459 is planned to depart Honolulu International Airport on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 1:15 p.m. and arrive at Incheon International Airport at 8:00 p.m. the following day. Flight #460 will depart Incheon on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 10:00 p.m. and arrive in Honolulu at 10:45 a.m. the same day. South Korea is 19 hours ahead of Honolulu and the flight crosses the International Dateline.

Hawaiian has also expanded its codesharing agreement with Korean Air to include Hawaiian’s new flights to Incheon, pending MLTM approval. This means Korean Air’s two-letter flight designator will be attached to Hawaiian’s flights between Incheon and Honolulu in global reservations systems, allowing both carriers to market the service.

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