DALLAS – Hawaiian Airlines (HA) made the announcement on Saturday that it would stop operating flights between Orlando and Honolulu starting in the fall.
The airline said in a statement that the suspension was the outcome of rearranging its network to better accommodate the spike in overseas travel and strong demand in North America. “We appreciate the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority’s assistance and the kind reception we received from the people of Central Florida.”
The airline also stated that its final outbound flight will depart on September 7 and return on September 8. Beyond those dates, guests who have booked flights to Orlando will be fully refunded.
Hawaiian Airlines N392HA Airbus A330-200. Photo: Luca Flores/Airways
Staffing Issues Affect the MCO Route
Hawaiian Airlines stated that it would begin service from its hub at Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and Orlando International Airport (MCO) in December 2020. Airbus A330-200 service to both locations began with twice-weekly frequency in March 2021.
The recovery in US travel took a turn for the better as both flights took off in the spring of 2021. At the time, the reopening of Hawaii boosted consumer confidence, and a successful vaccination deployment contributed to the airline’s performance on the two new long-haul routes.
Hawaiian’s CEO Peter Ingram even stated that the company’s new routes were operating well as early as May 2021, and the increase in frequencies on both routes demonstrates the company’s continued confidence.
A year later and HA has the need to reconfigure its network to better suit the uptick in overseas travel and strong demand in the US, and the airline’s reason to drop MCO is one we’re hearing throughout the industry. Clickorlando.com reports that Carolyn Fennel, senior director of public affairs for MCO, said that the airline cited staffing issues and current fuel prices as reasons for the suspensions.
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Hawaiian Airlines N383HA Airbus A330-200. Photo: Brandon Farris/Airways