Originally Posted by
MinRest
The chances of that happening are 100%. Now I don't think that takes away the need for pilot basing in the islands, but having an HNL 717 base change to some aircraft that only the islands operate is zero. I will eat my uniform hat if it is anything but a 737. Less daily frequency of flights to carry the same amount of people on those inter-island flights, more aircraft utilization, reducing the fleet types at the airline, and AS can buy them for a song. You don't dedicate the airframes to the islands, so you don't have the long-term issues with NEO/MAX engine issues. Easy to have fold into the islands from the mainland, have mainland crews fly them in, go on rest to fly them home the next day, with HNL crews doing some laps between the islands. I would be absolutely shocked if this didn't happen exactly like I describe.
The only thing I'll disagree on a bit is the dedicated interisland fleet. It's going to be 737s, I'd guess ng's, and they're going to be painted in Hawaiian colors. Find your highest time low cycle 800s, send them to the islands and let them live the rest of their lives out there. No max engine issues. Then a few max 9s to replace the 321NEO with some being painted Hawaiian colors but most in Alaska paint. Most HNL-West Coast done by HNL based pilots, West Coast pilots take care of the outer Island overnights. That's what my money would be on(I wouldn't put a lot of money on it though, until airplanes actually start leaving it's all just a fun guessing game)