Originally Posted by rokgpsman

I didn't mean why didn't they buy NEW replacement planes for the 757's getting retired. Everyone knows they don't buy new. I meant why didn't they replace them with planes of similar age as was the first group of 757's they bought? If it was a good move and correct decision back then it should be so again. That is their MO, buy low cost well-used planes that still have some decent time left. Not doing so means they have other reasons for pulling out of Hawaii market than just having to get replacement planes. The excuse of ending Hawaii service because they don't want to spend on the expensive recertification doesn't wash, they knew that cost would occur when they bought the planes and they planned to retire those original 757's and buy other used ETOPS aircraft. They said the 757's were very profitable for them, "printing money" as was said earlier. Something changed in their thinking about service to Hawaii, and after that they stayed in it only long enough to get the most value out of the 757's they had already bought before not being allowed to fly them any longer. They must have had unforeseen problems or other costs come up that moved them to abandon Hawaii. They've cut service to other places when profits didn't meet expectations but service to Hawaii was announced with big fanfare, along with talk of adding new routes to just outside USA resorts like Cancun and Puerto Vallarta. That was going to be a big leap forward into high profit routes.