Hawaiian and Aloha raise fares

The two airlines join other carriers in increasing prices on long-haul flights

Hawaiian Airlines and Aloha Airlines said yesterday they were increasing round-trip airfares between Hawaii and the mainland by $30 to offset escalating fuel costs.

The increases are effective immediately for travel beginning May 1.

Over the last two weeks, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways raised round-trip prices for most U.S. markets by as much as $10 due to the soaring price of jet fuel.

Hawaiian, which initiated the fare hike by the local carriers, said every penny increase in the price of a gallon of jet fuel costs the company $1.3 million annually. The carrier said that the average price per gallon has risen 41 cents, or 15.1 percent, to $3.13 as of yesterday from $2.72 on Jan. 2 of this year.

"The costs of providing our product continues to rise, and this modest increase will help preserve the high quality of our service," said Glenn Taniguchi, senior vice president of Hawaiian.

Aloha, which quickly matched Hawaiian, said each penny increase in the price of a gallon of jet fuel costs the airline an additional $520,000 annually.

Hawaiian offers nonstop daily service between Hawaii and the California cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose and Sacramento, as well as Portland, Ore.; Phoenix; Seattle and Las Vegas.

Aloha flies nonstop to Oakland, Calif.; Sacramento; Orange County, Calif.; San Diego; Las Vegas and Reno, Nev.

Hawaiian's fuel costs last year rose 20.7 percent to $291.6 million from $241.7 million in the previous year. In the fourth quarter, Hawaiian's fuel costs soared 44.7 percent to $87.4 million from $60.4 million.

Privately held Aloha declined to disclose its fuel costs.