Took a flight over to Lihue, Kauai yesterday (June 5) for a job
interview. I wish flying everywhere else was as easy as flying
interisland.
HNL = Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii
LIH = Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii
HA = Hawaiian Airlines
I got to the airport about 7:15am, booked on the 8:40am flight 509 to
LIH. There was a bit of a line at the check in counter, so since this
was just a day trip I had only my backpack for a carry-on, no checked
luggage, I decided to try and see if I could get through security
without checking in first. I had booked the flight via Hawaiian's web
site, and purchased interisland coupons at a travel agent, so I did have
a document with a ticket number, even though it didn't specify the
flight (I did fill in my name, circled HNL and LIH and filled in the
date). Just as I got to the checkpoint a Japanese tour group got in the
line on the Hawaiian side, so I went over to the Aloha side where there
was no waiting. The agent there checked my ID and coupon and let me
through. Although one side is geared to Aloha and the other to
Hawaiian, in reality they are considered the same checkpoint so
passengers on either airline can go through either side. I went over to
Hawaiian's "Service Counter C" which handles gate check in. There was
just one person ahead of me there, and I was able to check in and be
confirmed on flight 119, departing at 8:00am.
HA 119 HNL-LIH 0800-0837 717-22A N484HA seat 10A
After checking in I went over to our departure gate 60, the aircraft was
parked at the jetway and after a short wait they started boarding. This
was my first time flying interisland since 9/11; it was the usual line
up for general boarding, though the agent went through the line and
selected people for screening. Boarding was the usual way, first class
and Premier Club, followed by general boarding (first in line gets first
choice of seats, though unlike the many Hilo flights I'd taken in the
past, the line didn't form before boarding was announced). This was
also my first time flying on a 717; I'd been in the airplanes twice
before but never while they were actually moving. I chose seat 10A to
try out the 717 towards the front of the airplane. The seats are the
thin-back type, firm but not uncomfortable. During boarding a
prerecorded general information announcement (welcome aboard our new
717s, please stow your carryons in the overhead bins or completely under
the seat in front of you, etc). Before the English announcement a
shorter announcement was made in what I think was Hawaiian. The flight
pushed back at 7:52am, 8 minutes early, and no more than half full by my
estimate. As we passed by the Aloha gates, I noticed how much older and
worn out their 737-200s looked, all patched up and some in need of
paint, compared to Hawaiian's shiny new 717s. We took off from runway
8L, then made a 180 degree turn and headed west for Kauai. Island
beverage service soon began, with a choice of passion-orange-guava juice
or Kona Coffee. I asked if they could bring me water when they were
done serving the juice and the flight attendant apparently had them
hiding in with the juice as she gave me one right away. The 717 is nice
and quiet. I barely had a chance to read the Ohana Album (a couple of
pages with company news as well as info about other events the company's
employees are involved in) in the Hana Hou inflight magazine before we
started our decent. We touched down on runway 35 at 8:32am, followed by
heavy breaking, presumably to make an earlier runway turnoff and avoid a
longer taxi to the terminal. Pilots often tried the same in Hilo. We
parked in at a diagonal at gate 6 and got off. In addition to our 717
I noticed one other Hawaiian 717 as well as an Aloha 737-200 at LIH. As
I didn't have any bags to check I headed straight for the car rental
desk to pick up the Neon I had reserved for the day.
For my return flight I had booked myself on the last flight back to HNL,
HA 376 departing at 8:42pm, since I didn't know when I'd really be done
with the interview. After returning the Neon I got to the airport about
4:30pm, so I went to the ticket counter (no line there) to see about
getting on an earlier flight. I was offered the next departure and took
it. Again there was no waiting at security and I headed to the
departure gate, number 5.
HA 308 LIH-HNL 1706-1735 717-22A N480HA seat 21A
This time while waiting to board, an agent went around the departure
lounge checking tickets and IDs, telling certain people to go over to
the screening desk. I don't know if their boarding passes had been
marked for selection somehow (much like United does), or she was just
picking people. Again I was not selected, and shortly our aircraft
arrived, followed soon by the beginning of boarding. There were quite a
few people in line for first class/Premier Club, and a few economy class
passengers who thought they were just taking anyone who came up ("There
can't be that many first class/Premier Club passengers, can there?")
were turned away to wait for general boarding. When those passengers
were done, the relative few of us who were not selectees nor first
class/Premier Club got on, and I went an open window seat near the back
of the plane, 21A, to see what it was like back there. The seat was
between the wing and the engine, and if I turned around and looked out
the window behind me I could see the fan blades of the BMW-Rolls Royce
715. This flight had more passengers than the morning's flight, but I
guessed that we were no more than 75% full. The engines were started
and we powered out of the gate 1 minute behind schedule, at 5:07pm. As
we taxied I noticed an Aloha 737-200 departing ahead of us, and a United
757-200 parked at the terminal. We took off from runway 3, and started
a steep climb. Island beverage service consisted of a choice of
passion-orange-guava juice for free, or Budweiser or Coors Light beer
for $3. I again asked for water, this time the the flight attendant
pushed the call button and said he'd be back. He continued offering the
juice, then came back with the water. I noticed he was carrying several
cups of it and another row had their call light on as well, so I guess I
wasn't the only one. The plane was noisier in the back, taxi and
takeoff were loud but cruise seemed no different than being in a
737-300. By the time I was done we had started our descent into HNL.
Our approach was straight in, giving me views of the Waianae coast
before flying over Ko'Olina, Kapolei, Ewa Beach, and Pearl Harbor for
touchdown on runway 8L at 5:32pm, three minutes ahead of schedule. We
taxied to gate 57, but stopped for a few seconds lined up with the gate
but not pulled all the way in. Several passengers got up and started
gathering their carry-ons, the flight attendant promptly made a reminder
announcement to stay seated, by which time we started moving again. Our
next stop was parked at the gate, the fasten seat belt sign came off and
we disembarked.
Now only if flying everywhere else was this easy. Show up early and get
on the next flight (assuming there's an open seat). No waiting to
stand-by (they do this when the flight is mostly booked though), no
paying change fees. Just show up and get on.
--
David Mueller / HNL
kawika42@mac.com
http://www.quanterium.com