Hawaiian Airlines 75 Years of Service - Timeline

The following are key historic dates in the early aviation history of the Territory of Hawaii and the 75-year history of Hawaiian Airlines.

Brief History of Aviation in Hawaii

Hawaiian Airlines History

1905	James Kennedy of Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company merged with Wilder Steamship Co. to become the largest fleet of steamers serving Hawaii.
1928	Stanley C. Kennedy, a Silver Star Navy pilot, convinced the board of directors of Inter-Island Steam Navigation of the importance of air service to the Territory and formed Inter-Island Airways.
1929	October a Bellanca monoplane offered sightseeing service for $5 per person. The original Bellanca has been restored in Oregon.
1929	On November 11, Inter-Island Airways, Ltd. launched. FIRST scheduled air service in Hawaii. First scheduled flight from Honolulu to Hilo with stops on Molokai and Maui took three hours, 15 minutes. Airline began at the time of the Great Depression.
1929	Fleet consisted of two, 8-passenger Sikorsky S-38 amphibian airplanes.
1930	10,367 passengers carried.
1934	FIRST Interisland airmail service contract went to Inter-Island Airways.
1935	Added 16-passenger Sikorsky S-43s.
1935	13,000 passengers carried.
1938	28,000 passengers carried.
1941	Name changed to Hawaiian Airlines to pave the way for trans-Pacific operations. Wings logo adopted.
1941	Three new, 24-passenger DC-3s were flown in formation from Oakland, CA to Honolulu in 13 hours and 54 minutes--the then longest over-water flight ever made by a DC-3.
1941	December 7th, HA DC-3 #9 with 24 passengers had its cockpit straffed by Japanese fire at Pearl Harbor. The cockpit was on fire; a stray bullet hit the cockpit fire extinguisher putting out the fire. No one was hurt and this event made Ripley's "Believe It Or Not".
1942	HA became the FIRST scheduled air cargo service and has U.S. Cargo service certificate #1.
1943	FIRST stewardess hired.
1943	108,000 passengers carried.
1950	The National Safety Council presented HA with a 20-year award; the first airline in history to win this award.
1952	FIRST pressurized, air-conditioned cabin service with 44-passenger Convair 340s costing $520,000 each.
1955	Five DC-3s converted windows to larger "Viewmaster" windows.
1955	I'iwi bird became part of HA logo.
1958	Long-range, four-engine DC-6s were added.
1959	498,861 passengers carried.
1966	Hawaii's FIRST interisland jet service with 99-passenger DC-9-10s.
1966	Logo changed to a Jetbird to symbolize change over to jet service.
1973	Pualani (flower of the sky) and new unified livery introduced.
1975	130-passenger DC-9-50s added to fleet.
1977	3,000,000 plus passengers.
1979	FIRST all-female crew to operate a certified U.S. scheduled flight.
1983	Frequent Flyer program began as Travel Plus.
1984	Worldwide charter service with DC-8s and scheduled service to the South Pacific.
1985	Widebody L-1011 aircraft added to fleet.
1985	HA launches scheduled service between West Coast and Hawaii.
1986	Frequent flyer program renamed Gold Plus.
1994	Widebody DC-10s replaced the L-1011 fleet.
1996	HA Web site activated.
1998	E-ticketing launched.
1999	Frequent flyer program renamed HawaiianMiles.
2001	Boeing 717s replaced the DC-9 fleet.
2001	Pualani symbol and livery updated for introduction of new fleet.
2002	Boeing 767s replaced all DC-10s making Hawaiian Airlines' fleet among the youngest in the industry.
2003	"Hele On" Self Check-In at airports launched.
2003	"Hele On" Web Check-In launched.