{"id":57428,"date":"2024-02-24T23:45:55","date_gmt":"2024-02-24T18:15:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=57428"},"modified":"2024-02-24T23:45:59","modified_gmt":"2024-02-24T18:15:59","slug":"hawaiian-airlines-celebrates-first-boeing-787","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/24\/hawaiian-airlines-celebrates-first-boeing-787\/","title":{"rendered":"Hawaiian Airlines Celebrates the First and New Boeing 787"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

HONOLULU-<\/strong> Hawaiian Airlines (HA)<\/a>, the hometown carrier of Hawai\u02bbi, officially received its inaugural Boeing 787-9<\/a>, which arrived in Honolulu last week following a delivery flight from North Charleston, South Carolina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leadership from Hawaiian and Boeing<\/a>, along with employees and local dignitaries, gathered at the Charles I. Elliott Maintenance and Cargo Facility to officially welcome and bless N781HA<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Hawaiian Airlines <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hawaiian Airlines Welcomes First 787<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Peter Ingram, the president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, expressed his sentiments during the welcome event, stating, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“This day has been a long time coming \u2013 in fact, today marks almost six years to the date when we first announced our investment in the 787-9 as the new flagship fleet for our company.” <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

He also thanked Boeing for their collaborative efforts in adjusting the delivery schedule. He acknowledged the entire 787-9 team for successfully managing the project and bringing the first aircraft to its new home in Honolulu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The induction ceremony included a special welcome and blessing, with students from Windward O\u02bbahu\u2019s M\u0101lama Honua Public Charter School initiating the event with an \u2018oli (chant). Following this, special guests delivered remarks before the formal Hawaiian blessing of N781HA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Hawaiian Airlines <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Darren Hulst, vice president of commercial marketing at Boeing, emphasized,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cFrom the moment you step onboard, you\u2019ll see that the Hawaiian culture is woven into the design of this 787 Dreamliner. It immediately connects passengers to the beauty of the islands. It\u2019s an honor to know this airplane will bring Hawai\u2019i to the world for years to come.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

On Saturday morning, over 1,500 employees and their guests participated in the festivities, featuring live music by Kawika Kahiapo, a Hawaiian slack-key artist, and N\u0101 H\u014dk\u016b Hanohano Award-winner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guided tours were also offered to allow attendees to experience the 787-9 for the first time. Those present, including teammates, cherished the opportunity to be part of another significant moment in Hawaiian\u2019s 94-year history and to be among the first to board N781HA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie Morris, an Airbus A330 <\/a>first officer at Hawaiian Airlines soon transitioning to flying the 787-9s, expressed his excitement, stating,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“You can tell right away when you first step on the aircraft that a lot of thought went into it; elements of Hawai\u02bbi are evident in all corners of the plane. I’m extremely excited to start flying it and to get the show on the road.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Hawaiian Airlines <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Named as Kapuahi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Following Hawaiian Airlines’ tradition for each aircraft in its fleet, where every plane receives a culturally significant name, the long-haul, widebody fleet derives its names from stars and constellations rooted in the traditions of Polynesian navigators. In the morning welcoming ceremony, the official name for N781HA, Kapuahi, was revealed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kapuahi is a red giant star recognized as Aldebaran in Western astronomy, situated as the brightest star in the constellation Taurus. It shares the Pacific sky with Makali’i, a celestial cluster of great significance in Hawaiian narratives, wayfinding, and agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Debbie Nakanelua-Richards, director of community and cultural relations at Hawaiian Airlines, highlighted the connection between the airline’s voyages across the Pacific and the tradition of Hawaiian voyaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She noted, “Our kinship with voyaging is rooted in our past, grounds us in our present, and guides us toward our future. This connection is reflected in the design of our Boeing 787-9s, which further this effort to mingle with the stars and look to the constellations for direction as wayfinders often do in the canoe.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The names for Hawaiian’s Boeing 787-9 aircraft were chosen with the guidance of three Polynesian Voyaging Society H\u014dk\u016ble\u02bba captains: Kal\u0101 Babayan Tanaka, Catherine “Cat” Fuller, and Shantell De Silva.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Hawaiian Airlines <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Where will it Fly 787s?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the upcoming two months, Hawaiian Airlines will carry out familiarization flights between its Hawai\u02bbi and North America stations. Passengers will first experience Kapuahi on April 15 when it commences operations on the carrier’s daily nonstop Honolulu-San Francisco route. Subsequently, N780HA, set to be delivered and named next month, will join Kapuahi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, these aircraft will operate Hawaiian’s Honolulu-Los Angeles (HA3) service, starting May 15, and Honolulu<\/a>-Phoenix flights, commencing May 16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the year’s end, Hawaiian anticipates having three out of its 12 787-9s in operation. The arrival of the long-awaited Boeing 787 Dreamliners contributes to recent achievements for Hawaiian, including being the first major carrier globally to implement Starlink Wi-Fi, preparing for integration with Alaska Airlines, and commemorating its 95th anniversary in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President and CEO Peter Ingram of Hawaiian Airlines said, “Ultimately, the 787-9 is more than just a new aircraft. It represents an exciting growth phase for our company as we build on our 95 years of service and connect more people with Aloha. I am excited for you to be among the first to see it and even more excited for our employees to see it for the first time along with their \u2018ohana. They have waited a long time for this special day.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Join us on Telegram Group <\/a>for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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