Summary
- Hawaiian Airlines plans to replace its Boeing 717 fleet by late 2023 or early 2024, but no decision has been made on the replacement aircraft yet.
- In the meantime, Hawaiian’s 717s will continue to serve as the workhorses for the airline’s Interisland routes.
- The Boeing 717 is a rarity in the skies, as only three airlines currently operate the aircraft type.
While the 717 never became popular with airlines in the way Boeing had hoped for, the COVID pandemic certainly did not help with the type’s waning popularity among carriers. Even as airlines sent their planes to storage during the pandemic only to bring them back, the prevailing sense is that their days are numbered. And that’s precisely what Hawaiian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Peter Ingram stated earlier this week.
Looming retirement
Hawaiian Airlines CEO Peter Ingram recently spoke about the airline’s plans for its Boeing 717 fleet. Ingram told FlightGlobal that the airline will decide on a replacement for its Boeing 717-200 fleet by late 2023 or early 2024.
Photo: Bam Tori/Shutterstock
The revelation was part of a discussion about plans to replace Hawaiian Airlines’ aging fleet of 717s. According to Ingram,
“We haven’t made a decision at this point on a replacement. We are in the midst of some analysis work. [The decision] will position us for moving towards the replacement of that fleet towards the latter part of the decade.”
Still serving
With that said, Hawaiian’s 717s aren’t going to retire anytime soon. With travel demand increasing after the pandemic, Hawaiian has upped its capacity, especially on the lucrative Interisland routes.
Hawaiian operates a fleet of 19 717s ranging from 19 to 25 years old, each with 128 seats in two cabins: 8 in first class and 120 in economy class. These 717s are the airline’s workhorses, operating up to 16 cycles each day across the Hawaiian Islands from five airports: Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Kahului Airport (OGG), Lihue Airport (LIH), Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA), and Hilo International Airport (ITO).
Photo: Steve Heap | Shutterstock.
These 717s are essential to the Interisland service around the Hawaiian islands. These flights play a crucial role in connecting passengers and cargo between the islands. In total, upwards of 6 million passengers a year travel between the islands by air; these flights are between 100 and 250 miles. Unlike the mainland United States, the Pacific Ocean separates the islands, and there is no surface transportation as there are no roads, bridges, or ferries traveling between the islands. In many respects, these 717s are the highway system of the state of Hawaii with our Interisland flights.
For the 100 to 250-mile flights, the 717 is a perfect airplane for the specific markets they serve. The airline has previously stated possible replacement options for the 717, including the Airbus A220 and Embraer E195-E2.
A rarity in the skies
The 717 was introduced in 2001 and designed by McDonnell Douglas before Boeing acquired McDonnell Douglas in 1997. It follows the line of the DC-9 family and the MD-80 family of aircraft. The Boeing 717, when McDonnell Douglas designed it, was going to be the MD-95. Only three airlines operate the aircraft type: Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Qantas.
Delta is the largest operator of the aircraft type, with 66 active examples. Qantas, under its subsidiary (National Jet Systems), operates 18 examples of the jet. That said, Qantas has announced that it will retire its 717 fleet by mid-2024.
Source: FlightGlobal