PHX or LAX on Hawaiian

[Alaskanb]

Still doing my research on getting from ELP to Auckland and back from Sydney in Feb 2015.

I love the idea of a stop in Honolulu using Hawaiian Air.

Next question is do we leave from PHX on a 767 or from LAX on an A330. Anyone have any advice re the economy class seats in either of these planes?

Edited March 4, 2014 by Alaskanb

[Zach1213]

seat width and pitch (legroom) are pretty much identical as per SeatGuru. A330s have personal TVs, 767-300s don't (also as per SeatGuru). I haven't flown Hawaiian, but given that choice I would go A330 if entertainment was important to me. If you have an iPad or plan on reading, and don't care about inflight entertainment, they should be pretty much the same...so I would go off of price and convenience. And I prefer PHX to LAX, personally.

[Gunner22aa]

Their business class is horrible so don't hold your breath on economy. Virtually every other airline in the world has gone to fully lie flat or at least angled lie flat seats in long haul business but not Hawaian. They still have the normal 20 year old seats with the least amount of leg room I have ever seen in business class. The service was fine but not the seating.

[CruiserBruce]

Virtually every other airline in the world has gone to fully lie flat or at least angled lie flat seats in long haul international business but not Hawaian.

 

To make this statement correct, the sentence needs one additional word...see above.

[Zach1213]

To make this statement correct, the sentence needs one additional word...see above.

 

True, but Hawaiian does have several international routes - Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, and elsewhere. And they still use the recliner seat A330s (not sure if they use 767s) on international routes.

[Alaskanb]

seat width and pitch (legroom) are pretty much identical as per SeatGuru. A330s have personal TVs, 767-300s don't (also as per SeatGuru). I haven't flown Hawaiian, but given that choice I would go A330 if entertainment was important to me. If you have an iPad or plan on reading, and don't care about inflight entertainment, they should be pretty much the same...so I would go off of price and convenience. And I prefer PHX to LAX, personally.

SeatGuru also talks about boxes under many economy seats on the HA 767 and HA does not offer a premium economy seat on the PHX to HNL leg. The real pluses to the PHX route are it is closer and a little cheaper. (All other transit costs seem equal). I'm just not sure if it is worth dealing with perceived seating issues. I have flown DFW-HNL on an AA flight and it was pure torture with a box limiting leg room. Other than exit row seats I'm not seeing a way for the two of us to sit together in a HA767 without one being in a middle--suppose we could sit behind one another on the non-box aisle…. No way we can afford Business of First Class….

[ducklite]

IMHO the A330 is quieter as a plane overall.

[Ashland]

Remember Hawaiian is one of the few airlines that you can if available on day of departure pay sometimes a great price and upgrade to first class at the checkin gate. We have done this a few times.

[Zach1213]

IMHO the A330 is quieter as a plane overall.

 

 

Agreed

[Alaskanb]

Remember Hawaiian is one of the few airlines that you can if available on day of departure pay sometimes a great price and upgrade to first class at the checkin gate. We have done this a few times.

Good to know. :)

[BEAV]

We flew SFO-HNL-PPT (Tahiti) last month on Hawaiian and did the overnight thing in Honolulu to break things up, and were glad we did. Both our flights were on the A330, and I believe the PHX-HNL flight uses an A330 as well.

 

We were in first class from SFO, but economy from HNL-PPT. For the HNL-PPT flight, we booked early enough in the game to get seat assignments in the small forward coach section (rows 11-13). With only 3 rows, this is a very small and QUIET cabin, with the balance of economy seats behind the galley which separates the two coach cabins. Row 11, the bulkhead with LOTS of extra legroom is only available through the 24 hour check-in at an extra fee (I don't recall how much, we were unable to orchestrate).

 

With regard to first class on Hawaiian, I agree with the other comments that it's a decent domestic product, as far as the seats are concerned, but an inferior International premium product now that so many other carriers have upgraded these cabins with lie-flat seats, etc. And it's no wonder Hawaiian uses the term Business Class for their International fights while they use First Class for Domestic. Using First Class for their International service would be a huge overstatement.

[Alaskanb]

PHX-HNL uses a 767 and LAX-HNL uses the A330. HNL-AKL is the A330. There is a comfort economy on the A330 that gives 5" extra legroom. While PHX is much closer to us and is a smaller airport I think going on the A330 all the way will win out.

[BEAV]

PHX-HNL uses a 767 and LAX-HNL uses the A330. HNL-AKL is the A330. There is a comfort economy on the A330 that gives 5" extra legroom. While PHX is much closer to us and is a smaller airport I think going on the A330 all the way will win out.

 

If LAS is an option for you, they have 2-3 daily flights (depending on day of week) LAS-HNL and all utilize the A330.

[Alaskanb]

If LAS is an option for you, they have 2-3 daily flights (depending on day of week) LAS-HNL and all utilize the A330.

We begin our flight sequence out of ELP so on transoceanic adventures where we go from there depends on how everything lines up. This time our best options appear to be via PHX or LAX to pick up the next leg of the journey.

[thechicagoans]

Their business class is horrible so don't hold your breath on economy. Virtually every other airline in the world has gone to fully lie flat or at least angled lie flat seats in long haul business but not Hawaian. They still have the normal 20 year old seats with the least amount of leg room I have ever seen in business class. The service was fine but not the seating.

 

Have you actually flown Economy on HA or are you just making an assumption based on your experience in Business Class?

 

HA is the only remaining US airline to serve meals on mid-haul and long-haul flights in Economy Class. They are also beginning to offer Extra Comfort Seats (much like UA's Economy Plus, AA's Main Cabin Extraa, or DL's Economy Comfort) on their A330 flights: http://help.hawaiianairlines.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2084

 

HA is well-reputed as a solid economy product for US mainland - Hawaii flights.

[Gunner22aa]

Pure assumption based upon the worst business class I have ever flown on a long haul flight. I have flown on over 25 different carriers over the years. I don't fly economy any more.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Gunner22aa

[kenish]

Hawaiian consistently has the best on-time record of US carriers. Of course a lot of that is due to most of their routes being "fair weather" routes.

Edited March 6, 2014 by kenish