Wonky flight prices; Hilo vs Kona

[terracore]

All Hilo flights to the mainland have to go through HNL with the exception of a 6-day per week flight from Hilo to LAX. There are many flights to the mainland from Kona, including flights direct to Canada.

So it costs more.

[kalakoa]

All Hilo flights to the mainland have to go through HNL

Except for the ones that go through OGG.

[TazmanianRhonda]

I just did thorough price comparisons to fly to Nashville (to visit my mama!) from Hilo and Kona, and found a difference of about 5 bux... so I chose Hilo... that being said there is a connecting flight at LAX, so no direct flights to Nashville (or anywhere else except I think SFO)

[akpls]

I much prefer the Hilo airport....not as crowded and hectic as Kona.

[pahoated]

Everybody knows by now airline fares can be all over the place, depending on many factors like the season, timeframe when reservations are made, time of day, number of stops desired, etc. etc. etc., with almost no relation to whether it is Kona or Hilo. The anecdotal description is for a very specific case.

For instance, going to the United site, a flight to LA, from either Kona or Hilo is the same price. This is when a flight from Hilo includes the connecting flight to Honolulu cost. A flight to San Francisco from Kona or Hilo is the same price, but $100 more than the flight to LA. LA is a closer to Hawaii than San Francisco.
http://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/content/...awaii.aspx

This is when United has direct from Kona but Hilo to Honolulu connecting. Kona has a longer runway and can handle the bigger body nonstop jets. Another factor for Kona being able to handle larger jets is the approach pattern. The approach to Kona is over water with very little time over populated area. The approach pattern to Hilo is from the north and directly over most of Hilotown and only a few hundred feet above it.
People can make a career of analyzing the economics of air travel cost. Consumers can do that or just use the web to find the flight and cost that fits their desire. We always remember the flights that cost us a premium but forget the flights that were bargains.

"Aloha also means goodbye. Aloha!"

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Kona has a longer runway and can handle the bigger body nonstop jets. Another factor for Kona being able to handle larger jets is the approach pattern.

If Hilo International can safely land Boeing 747's, what plane is the "bigger body" model you describe that currently lands in Kona?

[Bullwinkle]

Fed ex brings in some MD 11's as well - fully loaded with freight - 2 miles of runway long enough for most if not all the wide bodies.

If you book right - you can get a lax non stop both ways ....united plays games - keeping the non stop both ways fares high for last minute buyers.

One can even play the airfare "game" using fare lock... novel way of gambling on airfares - crazy what consumers will opt in for

On the Hawaiian front - they have been having a tough month - one of the new scarebuses this week: http://honolulu.suntimes.com/hnl-news/7/...nding-lax/

[TomK]

"Another factor for Kona being able to handle larger jets is the approach pattern. The approach to Kona is over water with very little time over populated area. The approach pattern to Hilo is from the north and directly over most of Hilotown and only a few hundred feet above it."

Look. If that is actually a factor in whether larger jets can use an airport or not, a lot of major international airports around the world would be out of business now. But maybe Hilo is special in that respect?

[Guest]

Our monopoly has been fined? Hawaiian air today was fined $160,000 thousand, maybe they lost luggage from someone important? False advertising with changed or gouging rates are fowl practices as well hawaiian air. Makes me wonder if good reporters were to dig deeper or make a few extra follow ups, what more could fall out from the bottom or rise up with the cream about hawaiian airlines and its practices?.

[opihikao]

quote:

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Originally posted by TomK

"Another factor for Kona being able to handle larger jets is the approach pattern. The approach to Kona is over water with very little time over populated area. The approach pattern to Hilo is from the north and directly over most of Hilotown and only a few hundred feet above it."

Look. If that is actually a factor in whether larger jets can use an airport or not, a lot of major international airports around the world would be out of business now. But maybe Hilo is special in that respect?

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[?] Doesn't Air Force 1 (or 2) land in Hilo?

My guess is not enough traffic to warrant costs (ie. landing fees, gate time, etc.) out of Hilo. We should make the cruise ships offer flights back to the mainland from Hilo, and take others (like us, lol) on a cruise back to wherever home port is. (Rose colored glasses)

gypsy, drop in the bucket for Hawaiian Air. Given what they take in income, drop in the bucket. Sure miss Aloha Airlines.

JMO.