Hawaiian Airlines operates Airbus A330s on the Auckland-Honolulu route. Photo / Supplied
REVIEW: Flying Business Class on a Hawaiian Airlines A330-200, Auckland (AKL) to Honolulu (HNL) on HA446
Once you’re into the Hawaiian Airlines app there’s standard details on your booking and good summary information on your destination, including a handy map of Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. The airline doing a major technology upgrade when we were flying so some app functionality was lost. The flight was also delayed and we were updated by text and email.
Business class passengers have a dedicated check-in at AKL and that made for speedy processing. As it’s a late-night departure, scheduled for 11.35pm, the airport was quiet and getting through it a breeze. A business class ticket entitles you to entry to the excellent Auckland Airport Strata Lounge. It is usually uncrowded and there’s plenty of freshly made food from the onsite kitchen, a self-help bar facilities, non-alcoholic beverages and large showers. There’s also a children’s play area and a good view of the internal part of the departures lounges.
My wife and I avoided the random US-standard TSA pre-screening for some passengers in the approach to Gate 8. There’s a lane for Business Class passengers to board the 278-seat plane, which was fairly close to full.
A 12-year-old Airbus A330-200. Hawaiian Airlines has 24 in its fleet.
There are 18 Business Class seats. One is reserved for resting pilots. They are in a 2-2-2 layout meaning those with window seats don’t have direct aisle access and unlike on many airlines you’re always going to have someone sitting next to you. But this is deliberate – Hawaiian Airlines targets the high-end leisure market and figures it is mainly couples, families and friends who travel with them rather than corporate travellers. And if you are travelling with someone you know the configuration is excellent – it makes for a lovely social experience and although the cabin is reasonably open, you feel you have a lot of privacy. If along the window sides of the cabin,as we were, it is possible to step around the person next to you even if their bed flat out without disturbing their sleep, it is that spacious. The pairing of seats is what makes this product what it is – ideal for couples travelling together. And if you do want a bit of time apart there’s a divider that slides up from the centre console for more privacy. There’s an important footnote here: Hawaiian is introducing new cabins and radically different business class suites in a 1-2-1 configuration and privacy doors - more in keeping with many other airlines to its new Dreamliners from the beginning of next year. But the slightly smaller A330s with a smaller premium cabin will be on the NZ route for the foreseeable future. Those connecting on to Hawaiian’s Dreamliner flights will be able to try the new product.
I was in 2A a window seat. First unveiled the 2015 the 180-degree lie-flat seats were developed by Optimares, an Italian manufacturer. The bed is 76 inches (6 ft 3in or 193cm) and up to 20 inches or 50cm wide. Getting down to horizontal couldn’t be easier, it’s done with the turn of a dial or wheel on the console between the seats. Highly intuitive, this drives a single motor in the seat and gets you to horizontal in a pacy 21 seconds. When it’s time to sleep, you’re given a topper pad mattress on top of the rich brown leather and you’re given a duvet and a large pillow. At foot level, there is a sturdy ottoman fixed in place with a high outer barrier to create separation from the aisle. Below the recline dial are buttons to control lights, call the flight attendant (there were three assigned to the cabin) a USB port and on the front end of a console a universal AC power port. All around are plenty of nooks and crannies to store your gear and if you have to get your laptop out the fold-out table is an ideal workspace.
Besides the bedding, there are beach-themed, jandal-style slippers and an amenity kit in a nice fabric bag waiting in a seat compartment. The kit includes an eye mask (beach-themed sunglasses-style) and a bamboo comb, a bamboo toothbrush and toothpaste, tissues and a pen. It was identical to the kit given out to passengers in Extra Comfort (which we flew back) and didn’t have any moisturiser or the airline’s excellent lip balm. In the large and spotless toilet at the front of the cabin there is Makiki Valley hand and body balm and hydrating mist available. (New amenity kits are on the way with the introduction of new aircraft)
Passengers are offered a glass of sparkling white wine, guava juice or a Mai Tai before take-off. Soon after wheels-up, the main meal is served. On our flight, it was a pickled beet salad with goat cheese with a chicken and vegetable ratatouille and roast potatoes. After midnight is never an ideal time to savour a meal and so it was on this flight. I passed on Lilikoi chiffon cake for dessert and likewise the choice of five wines and 17 spirits, cocktails and beers (including the Hawaiian-brewed Bikini Blonde). Breakfast about 90 minutes out from landing was a choice of a lighter continental spread or the full option which included a good mushroom, kale and cheese frittata and the requisite link sausages and hash browns. There are a few airlines whose top-cabin food you would target for fine dining. On our flight, the food was fine, but not especially memorable.
Rather than a fixed inflight entertainment (IFE) in seats, you get an iPad soon after takeoff and is set up for you by a flight attendant. You’re given decent headphones. There’s not an overwhelming range of movies, TV and audio but you should find something. (On the way home we loved the beautiful film Waterman, on the life of Duke Kahanamoku – the father of modern surfing.) The iPad can be swivelled on a holder for a variety of viewing angles. I liked it. I didn’t have to learn a new technology system. And while the screen is not huge, there are few tools as intuitive as an iPad. Also, most passengers were more interested in sleeping rather than bingeing on movies at that hour of the morning.
Hawaiian Airlines has a generous allowance throughout all cabins. In Business Class its two bags at 32kg each and an extra one for Pualani Platinum members.
The crew are friendly, casual and attentive. These flights between Auckland and Hawaii are primarily for people heading off on vacation, returning from a memorable holiday (you can’t miss in Hawaii) or time with friends and family. The crew capture the vibe.
Hawaiian regularly appears near the top of punctuality leagues but on the week we were flying was changing over its reservations system in the biggest technology upgrade in its history. This hit its ticketing, app, boarding processes and this added to delays plaguing the entire commercial aviation system. However within days we received emails signed by the airline’s boss Peter Ingram in which he explained the tech issue, apologised profusely and informed passengers who flew that week there had been 3000 Hawaiian Miles deposited into their accounts. This is equivalent to about half a flight to a neighbour island on a miles discount, but it was a classy gesture. Other airlines could learn something from it.
Entry prices into Business Class start at around $2500 one-way but high demand pushes that up. That’s about four to five times the best Economy fare. We were upgraded from cut-rate Economy fares we had bought three years ago.
The bottom line
Hawaiian Airlines Business Class is laidback luxury. A fine way of starting a holiday for couples, families and friends. If you’re travelling as a pair, the hard product beats Air NZ’s existing Business Premier. If you have a window seat you have four of them to look out of. The extras on Hawaiian aren’t amazing but for personal space, privacy within your two seats and a great bed it is a fantastic way to fly overnight and arrive refreshed and ready to hit the beach at Waikiki the afternoon of arrival.
One route had three times the average rate of cancellations.