28.08.08 HA122 N477HA – Economy – Seat 23A
1st Flight on this aircraft & 4th 717 Flight
SCH DEP 07:35 SCH ARR 08:30
ACT DEP 07:34 ACT ARR 08:19

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Photo © Cameron Bowerman - Airplanespotters

The 1st early start of our break, 6:10 am and we were in a cab heading for HNL and our 1st day trip to one of the islands, today’s being to ‘The Big Island’.

Traffic sure was heavy, much more than I had expected but we still arrived kerbside at around 06:40, after a tip my wallet was almost $40 lighter!

No queue at the self service check-in machine though we were not able to move the seats any further forward, row 23’s view is partly obstructed by the engine, would prefer to be a little further forward.

Security was pretty much queue free, though despite showing our boarding passes before hitting the machines and stepping all of a meter or 2 you have to show them again, hello, it’s not like we could have swapped them or anything!! – rant over, it’s just overkill and pointless, I find it annoying.

Our flight today would depart from Gate 56, next to it was a Starbucks, no guesses where we headed to next.

Here are a few pictures from the terminal and apron views:-










Our plane





Not really sure what time boarding started but it was pretty organised

once aboard and the front door was closed, appeared the flight was around 90% or so full.

Push occurred 1 minute ahead of schedule, the flight announcements through out the flight were automated.



The cabin colours were nice, liked the purple. Cabin looked pretty well maintained. Ilike the cabin colours





Taxi out and wheels up at 07:43.









Despite the short flight length, coffee or juice were offered, I took the juice, not bad!

The seat belt sign stayed on through out the entire flight.





Map's were handed out for those who wished:-









After a short flight, descent begun and we touched down in Hilo at 08:19, just 36 minutes of flight.


Taxi back to the terminal saw us dock at gate G6.





All in all a nice flight, crew were nice and the plane was clean, enjoyed my 1st HA flight.

Here are a few pictures of the day:-





Tough going for my Explorer!









28.08.08 HA361 N484HA – Economy - Seat 14E
1st Flight on this aircraft & 5th 717 Flight
SCH DEP 18:33 SCH ARR 19:22
ACT DEP 18:35 ACT ARR 19:16


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Photo © Dan Brownlee


We saw pretty much everything we wanted and despite eating out in Hilo, we still arrived at the airport early enough to catch an earlier flight – subject to space.

$100 later we were on an earlier flight back to HNL.

View of the airport:-





Tonight’s flight left from gate 6, boarding started at 18:20.

Our plane:-

Load on this flight was again around the 90% mark, wheels up at 18:41.

Sorry about the lack of pictures, being sat in a middle seat, being quite tired and it getting dark has contributed to this.

Service was a mirror of this morning’s flight.

The flight landed early at 19:16, arrival at gate 61 some 4 minutes later, not bad.

Once off, down to the shuttle busses to pick up our rental car.

2 flights, no delays, friendly FA’s, I quite like Hawaiian.

More reports to follow  

Hope you enjoyed the day trip, feel free to drop comments of any kind  

Kind Regards

Mark

Hi, Mark,

one more great read from your US trip.
Love the pix, I remember exactly that place you´ve showed us at HNL waiting for the
outbound leg.
And the B717, not bad, with the shutdown of AeBal, very difficult to catch it.
Hope to read more soon,
Markus (FLIEGER67)

Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 1): Hi, Mark, one more great read from your US trip. Love the pix, I remember exactly that place you´ve showed us at HNL waiting for the outbound leg.

- Hi Markus, thanks for reading, just shows the place has not changed much! - Glad you enjoyed the trip  

Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 1): And the B717, not bad, with the shutdown of AeBal, very difficult to catch it.

- True, becoming hard to fly if on the wrong continent!

Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 1): Hope to read more soon

- Yes, more to follow soon  

Kind Regards

Mark

Very good trip report and pictures!!! I remember a few years ago when I was In Hawaii I flew the HA DC-9, so hopefully I'll get a chance to try out their 717 one of these days. To bad AQ isn't around anymore.  

Nice TR.

Really enjoyed the volcano pic with a cloud of ash...very impressive!

Your pictures of Hawaii bring back some fond memories. I would love to go back someday.

That juice is so tasty and I liked my flights on HA as well. One of my flights had announcements in Japanese if memory serves me right. It wouldn't surprise me though.

Hi Mark,

While I was preparing my own next report, I just had a quick look if some new reports were online, and then I saw this episode of your Hawaii Trip!
A very nice report as usual, and with some rare shots and planes.
I loved the Aloha pictures, who are sadly not around anymore!
Also the 717 is a type which is hard to get! Does OA still operate them?

Looking forward to the next report!
Just keep 'em coming  

Cheers,
Joost ( D-ALCE )

Hi Mark,

very enjoyable report with great pics from Hilo.

Quoting BA319-131 (Thread starter): No queue at the self service check-in machine though we were not able to move the seats any further forward, row 23’s view is partly obstructed by the engine, would prefer to be a little further forward.

It's still a bit better than this...  

Quoting BA319-131 (Thread starter): it’s just overkill and pointless, I find it annoying.

  

Quoting BA319-131 (Thread starter): Despite the short flight length, coffee or juice were offered, I took the juice, not bad!

Very nice, numerous Euro carriers could learn from that...


PH

Hi Mark,
Thanks for the pics of HA and of Big Island.
I've flew on AQ, HA and even Mahalo Air and I can say that their FAs are one of the friendliest. It's the aloha spirit of the islands. The people are just so warm.

You noticed HNL? The airport never changes. If I'm not wrong, all the fixtures are about the same since the time it became operational. I've used it since the early 90s and right up to my last visit in 2005 there's very minimal renovations done. Anyways, HNL (International Concourse) is really unique which is open-air, save for the boarding gates. One can really smell jet fuel while walking around and taking the wiki-wiki.

Hilo lounge seats at airport looks so retro.

Quoting LHboyatDTW (Reply 5): That juice is so tasty and I liked my flights on HA as well.

Hawaii's favorite drink POG. Can be found almost everywhere around the island, but not in those cups though.

Have you visit Kona on the other side of the Big Isand? That's another awesome place.

Hi Mark,

it was nice to read also something about your Intra-Hawaiian flights, and your pictures are great as always. I also liked your destination pictures - the island looks somehow bizarre.

Quoting BA319-131 (Thread starter): 1st Flight on this aircraft & 4th 717 Flight

You really become a frequent flyer on the B717 - regarding the small number of existing aircraft of this type!

Quoting BA319-131 (Thread starter): Despite the short flight length, coffee or juice were offered, I took the juice, not bad!

Really not bad for a 30-minutes-flight!

Regards
Christoph

Mark, great report, beautiful pictures!

Nice to have catched 2 more B717 flights. Quite unique aircraft type, for us 'European people'.

Quoting DALCE (Reply 6): Also the 717 is a type which is hard to get! Does OA still operate them?

Negative Joost. Only AeBal operates a few, but I think this Spanish company stopped operations lately also ... (not sure though, but got info from a Spanish friend).

Cheers,
Eric

Hi Mark,

Yet another excellent trip report. I am surprised at the quality of service HA provided; its good to see that they are still going strong even though Aloha is no longer competing with them.

I cannot wait to see the final parts of your journey. Keep the reports coming!

Globetraveller

Nice report as usual, Mark! Looking forward to the rest from this trip.

Only flown on 717 twice, both times with PG to USM.

Mr. Mark!

Excellent report my friend. Out of the narrowbodies, i seem to prefer the 717 most. I hate to admit it, but i love Air Tran's 717s!

HA seems good too!

Looking forward to more!!

Regards,
Roni

Awesome report. I always love the inter-island flying reports with pictures. Thank you

Quoting Mke717spotter (Reply 3): Very good trip report and pictures!!!

- Thanks, glad you enjoyed  

Quoting Mke717spotter (Reply 3): I remember a few years ago when I was In Hawaii I flew the HA DC-9, so hopefully I'll get a chance to try out their 717 one of these days. To bad AQ isn't around anymore

- I found a stored former HA DC-9 at the airport, nice to see! It is a shame about AQ, had wanted to fly them to get on another 732, nevermind.

Quoting UAopsMGR (Reply 4): Nice TR. Really enjoyed the volcano pic with a cloud of ash...very impressive!

- Glad you enjoyed and liked the pictures, the volcano was just amazing!

Quoting LHboyatDTW (Reply 5): One of my flights had announcements in Japanese if memory serves me right

- Despite there being lots of Japanese on the flights, all announcements were in english.

Quoting DALCE (Reply 6): A very nice report as usual, and with some rare shots and planes. I loved the Aloha pictures, who are sadly not around anymore!

- Glad you liked Joost.

Quoting DALCE (Reply 6): Does OA still operate them?

- Afraid not  

Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 7): very enjoyable report with great pics from Hilo.

- Thanks PH  

Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 7): Quoting BA319-131 (Thread starter): No queue at the self service check-in machine though we were not able to move the seats any further forward, row 23's view is partly obstructed by the engine, would prefer to be a little further forward. It's still a bit better than this...

- That's not the best seat in the house!

Quoting SIN7 (Reply 8): Thanks for the pics of HA and of Big Island.

- Glad you liked.

Quoting SIN7 (Reply 8): You noticed HNL? The airport never changes. If I'm not wrong, all the fixtures are about the same since the time it became operational. I've used it since the early 90s and right up to my last visit in 2005 there's very minimal renovations done. Anyways, HNL (International Concourse) is really unique which is open-air, save for the boarding gates. One can really smell jet fuel while walking around and taking the wiki-wiki.

- It looks very dated but still works just fine so I guess why change?

Quoting SIN7 (Reply 8): Hilo lounge seats at airport looks so retro

- The whole airport is retro!

Quoting SIN7 (Reply 8): Have you visit Kona on the other side of the Big Isand?

- No, not enough time  

Quoting Contact Air (Reply 9): Hi Mark, it was nice to read also something about your Intra-Hawaiian flights, and your pictures are great as always. I also liked your destination pictures - the island looks somehow bizarre.

- Thanks Christoph, the island is pretty cool but I'd not choose to livve there.

Quoting Contact Air (Reply 9): Quoting BA319-131 (Thread starter): 1st Flight on this aircraft & 4th 717 Flight You really become a frequent flyer on the B717 - regarding the small number of existing aircraft of this type!

- I know, ended up at 6 in total by the end of the trip! - And I was worried about getting my 1st 717!

Quoting Airbuseric (Reply 10): Mark, great report, beautiful pictures!

- Thanks Eric.

Quoting Airbuseric (Reply 10): Nice to have catched 2 more B717 flights. Quite unique aircraft type, for us 'European people'.

- I know, we Europeans now have to travel far if we want to get one.

Quoting Globetraveller (Reply 11): Yet another excellent trip report

- Thanks you sir.

Quoting Globetraveller (Reply 11): I am surprised at the quality of service HA provided; its good to see that they are still going strong even though Aloha is no longer competing with them.

- Hopefully HA can use this opportunity to really grow their business and loyalty, nice airline, can't wait to see the A330 in their c/s.

Quoting Lufthansa747 (Reply 12): Nice report as usual, Mark! Looking forward to the rest from this trip.

- Thanks Lari, more to follow shortly!

Quoting Ronerone (Reply 13): Mr. Mark! Excellent report my friend

- Thanks Roni, good to hear from you  

Quoting Ronerone (Reply 13): Out of the narrowbodies, i seem to prefer the 717 most. I hate to admit it, but i love Air Tran's 717s!

- The 717 is alright I guess, prefer it over a 737.

Quoting Jmy007 (Reply 14): Awesome report. I always love the inter-island flying reports with pictures. Thank you

- Thanks, glad you enjoyed. Inter-island flying is fun.

Regards

Mark