You Trip Report

	DATE	FLIGHT NUMBER	SEAT	AIRCRAFT
29 Feb 16	HA 12	19H	A330-200
CLASS	VIEWS	LANGUAGE	AUTHOR
Economy	88268	English	jetsetpanda

Prologue:

Hello and welcome to this nostalgic TR on HA.

I hope everyone is safe at their homes during these challenging times. A lot of us avgeeks take this moment of isolation to reminiscent about past travels and relive those memories with a more appreciative perspective.

This report illustrates that longing perfectly because it reminds us of a perk that no longer exists and will probably be entirely removed in our near future. I'm referring to complimentary full meals on U.S. domestic flights.

Before 9/11 offering meals in Y on domestic flights was the rule and something that every passenger expected. Following this event airlines decided to eliminate this benefit slowly. At one point only transcon flights had them and later on that was taken away too. Recently the airlines decided to reintroduce this concept of a free meal in Y on transcon flights again with AA offering a sandwich or fruit plate to all Y pax and UA doing a more generous meal but only for Economy Plus pax on their LAX/SFO-EWR flights. DL also implemented something similar.

HA was the only U.S. that did not eliminate meals in Y and still offered a full meal up until an announcement was made in late Nov. 2017 that meals will be updated to a warm sandwich with sides. This was viewed as a cost cutting measure by many but the airline still provided a free meal which set it apart from competitors.

At the time I was a Pualani PLT and called within 72 hrs to see if there was any chance to upgrade to F using a complimentary upgrade. As it turned out this flight was full and there was nothing available up to 4 hrs. before dept. I might as well take the opportunity to review HA's Y product to the mainland and find out how good it is.

We arrived at the airport 2 hrs before dept. and after dropping my family at the VX counter I proceeded to the HA terminal. Once there I waited at the Business line and noticed that the J and Premier counters were not staffed. I figured that an agent will come out in a few seconds but after a few minutes of waiting nothing happened. In the meantime there were a few passengers behind me and they started to wonder too. One of them left and walked to the Y line. Right after that one of the agents at the Y counters waived me and checked me in with a smile. She quickly issued my boarding pass and sent me on my way to security.

There were several self service kiosks but nobody was using them.

Next stop was HA's Plumeria Lounge. I have been curious about HA's lounge products (Plumeria and Premier) and this was the perfect opportunity to visit both. With my status I was able to access the Premier lounge but the Plumeria was only complimentary for Business passengers on international routes. However any passengers flying on HA could gain access by paying a USD 40 (EUR 3585) entrance fee. There is a sliding scale for elite members - Golds pay USD 35 (EUR 3137) and Platinums USD 30 (EUR 2689) respectively.

I was greeted by a friendly agent upon entering and after presenting my boarding pass and credit card she invited me to sit down while she processed my entrance fee. A couple of minutes later she brought me my card and a receipt.

The Plumeria lounge was recently inaugurated in June 2015 and is approximately 3000 sq feet - not really big for being a hub lounge. It has a very open feel lacking private partitions. There is a buffet counter in the back with manapua (Chinese pork bun or char siu bao) packaged snacks miso soup powder ramen bowls sandwiches wine cookies and beverages.

There are disposable plastic plates and utensils (similar to the ones at the AA clubs) except for glasses next to the wine.

My snacks.

Toilets are located all the way in the back of the lounge.

Premier Lounge I then explored the Premier Lounge located near gate 56. The agent was busy on the phone and when I presented my boarding pass showing my status she gestured me to come in. The lounge was crowded and only offered beverages and snack mix. I did not stay here for long and after a few minutes I was on my way to the gate.

Going to the gate I had to place my belongings in an x-ray machine once again. I thought that this was redundant and some passengers were caught by surprise and annoyed by this.

My plane was in the back.

I arrived at the gate just in time for boarding and inquired if there were any Extra Comfort seats available. When I checked in online I opted to be placed on the standby list for one of these seats. The gate agent advised me that there were only middle seats left and I decided to stay where I was. I gave my boarding pass to the friendly agent scanning the passes and followed the F pax. Upon boarding I was greeted by a smiling crew and quickly settled down.

Notice the signs at either side of the wall telling passengers not to cross to the other side in front of the bulkhead row. There was also an announcement about this after take off.

IFE screen.

Legroom - average 31-32 in. (7874-8128 cm.)

Eventually my window seatmate arrived and it turned out to be a friendly and chatty senior citizen. As I found out later he was someone closely connected to the fashion industry and used to be an executive at Saks Fifth Av. back in the 60's. We had a very enjoyable conversation about fashion and he gave me some "scoop" about personalities like Mme. Coco Chanel and Ralph Lauren. Mr. F had a house in the Hamptons and as part of his yearly routine will fly to HNL and spend a whole month there at the Queen Kapiolani hotel (not precisely where I would picture him to stay). However he was kind enough to give me a reference in order to get the best room of the house in case I would stay there. Out of curiosity I did a search for Mr. F. online and what he told me matched so he is the real deal. Moral of the story? Sometimes you meet the most fascinating people in the back of the "bus" as I always thought. The flight looked full and soon we taxied out for departure. Mr. F. moved to the side and kindly allowed me to take these from his window. One last look at the terminal.

Bye HNL.

After reaching cruising altitude the FA's started the service offering headsets along with other items for purchase. Movies are not free in the back so you must swipe your credit card if you want to see anything. Only the following programs were complimentary.

Then came the meal service - HA is the only U.S. domestic carrier that still offers free meals in economy as part of its Hawaiian hospitality. It really makes them stand out against the competition. On top of that one can request a free glass of wine along with the meal. Kudos to HA for going the extra mile.

Guava juice with Pau Hana snack mix.

There was no choice of meal so the only option was sweet and sour chicken with pineapple bell peppers and onions served with steamed rice with a side salad and coconut macaroon cookie.

Wine choices were Chardonnay or Merlot from Stone Cellars by Beringer Winery.

After trays were cleared coffee and tea were offered. The trip was uneventful and I spent a big amount of time talking with my neighbor. At one point I stood up to stretch my legs and went to the galley. There were three FA's there and my request for a glass of water was met with a smile followed by an offer for more after I finished with my glass. So far I have been impressed by the friendly and positive attitude of HA's crew which is one of its major assets. Water was offered by the passing FA's during the flight and if you wanted something more you could always go back to the rear galley where the "Pau Hana" cart was available for snacks and miscellaneous purchases. We arrived on time in SFO. The flight returning to SFO was shorter and it only lasted 4:08 hrs.

* this is the latest updated service from HA on Y cabin meals. As you can see the full meal was replaced by a sandwich with the exception of JFK/BOS flights which are the longest on the US domestic network. I believe those flights have the full meal plus a snack/light breakfast.

We stayed in a condo in Waikiki and the views from the 36th floor were gorgeous. It had a fully equipped kitchen with refrigerator stove cooking utensils and chinaware. Views from the balcony with some shots of Diamond Head.

Waikiki.

A day at the office. I bet there are not too many sick calls at this place. ;)

Royal Hawaiian Center.

"You don't need a silver fork to eat good food" - Paul Prudhomme Not far from Waikiki Kapahulu Av. has a few interesting places to sample local food. One of my favorites is Leonard's Bakery for their malasadas and believe it or not Safeway supermarket. As a matter of fact my seatmate on the outbound flight was a local guy who suggested me to go there for their pokes. His advice was spot on. Safeway also has an assortment of local food products in addition to a decent salad and hot food buffet bar. Walking along Kapahulu Av.

Leonard's bakery and its famous "malasadas". Sort of like donuts without the whole but much more delicious. :P I always stop by the bakery whenever I'm in town.

Ono Seafood This little mom and pop place is reputed to have the freshest "poke" in the whole island. Basically poke is raw fish salad seasoned with soy sauce green onions and sesame oil. There are variations that include dry chili pepper limu (local seaweed) and other island ingredients. It was delicious.

Duke's Waikiki. Considered one of the best buffet breakfasts in Waikiki this open air beach side restaurant is very popular and the wait can be long but the relaxing atmosphere and view of the beach (provided you get a good table) is unbeatable.

Buffet - I doubt that self service buffets will be around after this crisis.

Is it me or do you find it a bit offensive to have someone parading shirtless with a towel wrapped around the waist inside a buffet? I know the beach is nearby but still…

My small breakfast. :P

Island Vintage Shave Ice - not cheap but very good and on a warm day it was ideal. Shaved ice can be found everywhere and is probably the "official" dessert of Hawaii.

========== Honolulu Intl (HNL) - ==========

Security/Immigration efficiency: 7/10

Access and parking: 8/10

Services and activities: 7/10

General cleanliness: 8/10

========== Hawaiian Airlines Plumeria lounge ==========

Staff Service: 8/10

Entertainment: 7/10

Business Center: /10

Food: 7/10

Lounge Design: 8/10

Spa and Bathroom: 8/10

Wifi: 9/10

========== Hawaiian Airlines - Airline ==========

Cabine comfort: 9/10

Crew: 10/10

Entertainment: 6/10

On-time performance: 10/10

Appetizer: 0/10

Starter: 7/10

Main Meal: 10/10

Main Meal-2: 0/10

Cheese: 0/10

Desserts: 7/10

Alcohols: 0/10

Mid-flight snack: 0/10

Breakfast or light meal before arrival: 0/10

========== San Francisco Intl Arpt (SFO) - ==========

Security/Immigration efficiency: 9/10

Access and parking: 9/10

Services and activities: 9/10

General cleanliness: 10/10

Summary:

Flying on HA was a very enjoyable experience and I would not hesitate to do it again. From the friendly crew to the free meals in Y, this airline delivers true Hawaiian hospitality and is the best way to fly from the mainland to its home base of Hawaii. In this day and age, it is remarkable that a domestic carrier offers free meal in economy, let alone a glass of wine to accompany the meal. The inflight entertainment was very limited and you had to pay in order to access the movie selections.

The Plumeria lounge was cozy but small for being a hub lounge. The sitting arrangement is very open so there is a lack of privacy, but it never became full so it was enjoyable. Catering consists of snacks and food is limited to hot manapuas (pork buns) and sandwiches. The Premier lounge was disappointing with just snack mix and basic drinks, but the separate room for premier and elite members is appreciated.

14 Comments

Casper — Apr 09,2020

Happy to see you another report my dear Amigo.
Thanks for this magnificent report.
A great bonus was appreciated to escape from our dreadful days.
Take a good care of you.
Casper
Reply

jetsetpanda — Apr 11,2020

Hola Casper,

Glad you enjoyed the TR. We all need escapes these days. ;)

See you later.
Thomas — Apr 09,2020

Merci :-)
A great report that will put my next report to shame :-( haaha
Delightful pictures for my upcoming Hnl trip if we go through this fucking virus.
The lounge was / is really really nothing to write home about. Good to have had a real meal.
Cheers my friend.
Reply

jetsetpanda — Apr 11,2020

Hi Thomas,

Hopefully by then we can all be back in the skies. I feel like someone going through "withdrawal" symptoms if I don't get to fly soon. :P

To be honest the lounge was just functional and served its purpose but for the novelty of trying a new place why not? HNL is not a financial hub but a leisure destination so I don't think that they will ever lounges like those in LHR or HKG.
GG_007 — Apr 09,2020

Thanks for sharing this TR

"on HA could gain access by paying a USD 40 (EUR 3585)"
Waow USD became so strong and Euro so weak :(

Plumeria food's spread is a US lounges usual food offer : mediocre.
Not worth the money :(

But Premier ^^ lounge is even worst : a real disgrace !

"he was someone closely connected to the fashion industry"
You were so lucky !
The fashionista hidden inside you should have been pleased

"There was no choice of meal so the only option was sweet and sour chicken "
It looks way better than most of your AA First Class meals

Nice bonus

"I know the beach is nearby but still…"
You're right : I can't understand why the is wearing this towel around the waist ???

"Flying on HA was a very enjoyable experience"
I've always only found expensive fares

" let alone a glass of wine to accompany the meal"
You didn't have any hole in your stomach with this "wine" ? ^^

See you soon
Reply

jetsetpanda — Apr 11,2020

Hi Gilbert,

"Waow USD became so strong and Euro so weak :(
- This was back in 2016. I don't know these days who currencies fluctuate. :P

"Not worth the money :(
- For an avgeek on a first visit I think the admission price was reasonable and worth it. The novelty of a new experience is priceless. For a second visit maybe not. ;)

"But Premier ^^ lounge is even worst : a real disgrace !"
- That one was free so no complaints.

"The fashionista hidden inside you should have been pleased"
- Me a fashionista? Never! I'm just a panda who dresses in black and white. ;)

"It looks way better than most of your AA First Class meals"
- Even more so now. :P

"I've always only found expensive fares"
- You should keep trying. I've heard perseverance pays.

"You didn't have any hole in your stomach with this "wine" ? ^^"
- I didn't try it. I preferred a glass of juice instead. ;)
Capoune — Apr 10,2020

Hello Adan!

Thank you for sharing this really nice flight. The meal looks great but but it's a shame that this is no longer the case, but is it the most important nowadays?? ??
The lounge... hummm!!!

Very nice bonus and I hope i can go to HNL in november.
Take care my friend.
Reply

jetsetpanda — Apr 11,2020

Hi Seb,

Let's hope that the sandwich is still around but you never know. I know it's trivial and there are more important issues.

Not the most impressive lounge but for a first time visit I was happy.

Hopefully you can enjoy HNL in Nov. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Emile — Apr 10,2020

Lovely report dear Panda. The lounge is not that great.
Reply

jetsetpanda — Apr 11,2020

Salut Emile,

Thanks for your comments. One lounge crossed out from my list. ;)
AAFlyer — Apr 11,2020

When a Panda write a report, it's a pleasure to read. Thanks buddy.
Reply

jetsetpanda — Apr 12,2020

Hi AAFlyer,

Thanks for visiting and for your kind words.

See you.
Vendredi13 — Apr 12,2020

Ouaf ! JetSet' !

Pleasant lounge, seatmate, FAs, and catering;)
This economy flight with Hawaîen Airlines was delightful.
This catering was clearly a real plus.

Dreaming bonus !
Thanks for sharing, Adan ! See you as fast as possible, buddy !
Reply

jetsetpanda — Apr 12,2020

Oauf !

When we have a lot of time we tend to be nostalgic and remember. Same when we get old. :P

I'm just glad that we live in a time that it is so easy to share these memories with a click of a button. Every coin has two sides and yes, there are also negative aspects associated with technology but the positives surpass the negatives and one of them is the ability to bring people closer together based on common interests and passions.

Sadly this level of catering belongs in the past now. I give credit to HA for holding this standard for so long and not using the aftermath of 9/11 as an excuse to cut costs like the rest of the big airlines. CO was another airline that did not immediately phased out food service in Y at the beginning.

Maybe you should put HNL in your list for the future. ;)