Pacific Wings joins airlines offering $29 fare
The rate will cover flights between Oahu, Maui, Molokai and Lanai
Pacific Wings Airlines joined the interisland fare war yesterday by announcing it will offer daily one-way fares of $29 on every seat for select nonstop routes between Honolulu, Lanai, Molokai and Maui.
The Maui-based carrier, which flies six nine-seat Cessna Caravan 208s, said the discount flights will operate as PW Express beginning Feb. 1.
PW Express will provide 14 daily flights between Molokai and Honolulu, five daily flights between Lanai and Honolulu, and four daily flights between Molokai and Kahului, Maui.
COUPONS & PASSES
PW Express will offer monthly commuter passes and coupon books to simplify travel, as well as allow commuter pass holders to check up to three pieces of baggage with no service charge and change reservations with no fees.
Tickets are available online at www.flypwx.com or by calling PW Express reservations at 888-866-5022.
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Pacific Wings President Greg Kahlstorf said Molokai and Lanai were selected because the company wanted to implement its low-cost concept in places where it could differentiate and distinguish brands.
"With minimal presence in both markets, it seemed like a good test environment for the product," Kahlstorf said.
Previously, Pacific Wings had two late-night flights from Honolulu to Lanai, and one flight a day from Honolulu to Molokai.
After speaking to people on Molokai and Lanai in September about how they travel, Kahlstorf said he saw an opportunity to add service to those islands.
"They told us they want to be able to get out early and return late, and to have several morning and afternoon options in case they change plans," Kahlstorf said.
He said Pacific Wings plans to add more Lanai service in April and to introduce service to Kapalua, West Maui, in March.
Pacific Wings currently offers about 75 scheduled daily flights to 11 cities on five islands.
Kahlstorf said the carrier will monitor the load factor, or percentage of seats filled, on PW Express and add flights and aircraft as demand dictates.
The pricing on those routes had ranged from the low $40s to the high $90s depending on airline, date and time of travel, Kahlstorf said.
"When we decided to launch an economy brand, we asked airline passengers what they liked and disliked about low-cost carriers," Kahlstorf said. "The No. 1 complaint was discount gimmicks that lure you in with a super-low fare, but only on a few seats some of the time. Who cares if you can get a $19 seat going somewhere if the return is $73 or the fare is only good on alternate Tuesdays? Hawaii consumers told us they are quickly frustrated with that kind of bait-and-switch, so we offer every seat at the same low price every day. This makes travel planning easier."
Kahlstorf said PW Express will offer monthly commuter passes and coupon books to simplify travel, as well as allow commuter pass holders to check up to three pieces of baggage with no service charge and change reservations with no fees.
Tickets are available online at www.flypwx.com or by calling PW Express reservations at 888-866-5022.