Both Hawaiian and Aloha airlines have eliminated paper tickets
and dropped interisland flight coupons, long a favorite feature for
kamaaina travelers. The airlines had been mulling the coupon issue
months.
Coupons are popular among regular interisland fliers, who buy
them in bunches, usually at $60 per segment, but they have not been
profitable for carriers.
John Adams, chairman and CEO of Hawaiian, said coupons “are the
legacy of another era in Hawaii, when local carriers used them to
build market share and raise cash, but they’ve outlived their
purpose.”
Both carriers said they will honor existing coupons until their
expiration dates.
Travel agents in the islands have said that the elimination of
coupons would mean some higher prices as the carriers could use
traditional yield-management pricing structures.
Interisland flights have not been profitable for either Hawaiian
or Aloha so, with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s approval,
the airlines are working on an interisland route/frequency master
plan.
According to Hawaiian, the carrier’s current published fare
structure for interisland travel “offers an unrestricted electronic
alternative to coupons at a comparable price, while providing lower
prices to customers who book as little as three days in
advance.”
Interisland fares start at $66, taxes and fees included, for
ticketing at least seven days before departure and $70 if purchased
at least three days before departure.
Hawaiian’s unrestricted, no-advance-purchase fare good for any
available coach seat on most routes is $75.
Fares for travel to and from Lanai and Molokai, as well as all
two-segment connecting flights, are an additional $17.50.
Aloha matched Hawaiian’s new advance-purchase fares.
As to the paperless decision, both carriers said they already
default to electronic ticketing for all direct reservations and
sales.
The carriers will offer paper tickets on request for a $25
fee.
