Southwest Airlines Co. today shared more details in the carrier’s service plans for Hawaii by announcing initial gateway cities in California that would offer nonstop service pending required regulatory approvals. Oakland Metropolitan Airport (OAK), San Diego International Airport (SAN), Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), and Sacramento International Airport (SMF) would gain Hawaii service in the carrier’s flight schedules following FAA authorization for Hawaii service.
Last week, Southwest announced its initial plan to serve four airports in the Hawaiian Islands: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu (HNL), Kahului Airport on Maui (OGG), Lihue Airport on Kauai (LIH), and Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) on the leeward side of The Island of Hawaii.
In the latest of a two-year series of community meetings across the Islands to gain insight ahead of potential service, Southwest President Tom Nealon this morning shared details of today’s announcement with tourism, civic, and government leaders and further shared the carrier’s intention to eventually offer some interisland flights as operations ramp up initially across four airports in Hawaii.
“The way we plan to serve Hawaii requires us to share these initial details now so that our facilities in the airports will be ready for all that we intend to offer,” Nealon told the gathering in Waikiki. “We’re on-track with our plans to sell tickets this year and are respectfully engaged in the process to receive FAA authorization to operate between the mainland and the Islands.”
