I read somewhere that DL recently announced a new, non-stop flight from ATL to OGG on a 763. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that the runway at OGG is too short (6995') for an airplane to make it all the way to the east coast. Is the OGG-ATL segment really nonstop, or is there a tech stop somewhere?

A release came out today:

http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/050908/85574.html

This flight is currently loaded as flight 179 ATL-OGG and 178 OGG-ATL flight schedule lists it as a 9h35m flight.

What is surprising is that they are using the Int'l configuration 763 for this flight. Not that the BizE isn't good, its better than the 764's first for sure, but I'd expect the Int'l 763's to be in short supply especially in summer.

Well, apparently it's true, but it still doesn't explain the performance issues out of OGG. I would presume that it will be weight-restricted on the return.

UA does ORD non-stop (or at least used to) with a 777, so I'd imagine that DL could manage to get a 763 to ATL with little or no problem. So it'll be a little restricted, but maybe they'll cap the number of bookable seats, similar to what B6 does on BUR-JFK. Anyways, this is good news for DL, and tourists. Good luck to them  !

Quoting PanAm330 (Reply 3): UA does ORD non-stop (or at least used to) with a 777,

Actually, the UA flight goes ORD-OGG-KOA-ORD. KOA has a 10,000' runway, enabling the 777 to operate the route. I doubt they couldn't go nonstop OGG-ORD with a 777 otherwise.

UA's flight stops in Kona, but AA's doesn't. ORD-OGG-ORD with a 763.

I find it interesting that there would be a big demand for Americans on the East coast to fly 10 hours to Hawaii, when there are lots of tropical destinations close by. I guess there is.

In sept 1999 I worked the "proving run" for the 767-400 for delta with the FAA. The last day we flew OGG-ATL non-stop without any problems...not sure about the performance for the 300-ER...

Or Sept 2000....the years all run together