HONOLULU -- Hawaiian Airlines Wednesday announced it has had a full year of operating profits.

Hawaii said it earned an operating profit of $9.5 million. At the same time last year, the airlines lost $774,000.

A Hawaiian Airlines trustee said the airline is now thriving.

The company said March was its best month ever. Hawaiian officials said the airline earned a net income of $4.3 million compared to losing $2.7 million in March 2003.

The profits numbers are a statement on the health of the airline's current business and not its bankruptcy status, according to officials.

The airline remains in bankruptcy as a trustee oversees the changes being made at the company.

A number of bids have been made and are still being made for the airline.

"There is a high degree of interest in the investor community," Hawaiian Airlines spokesman Keoni Wagner said.

Besides the inter-island routes, Hawaiian Air flies routes to the California, Portland, Ore., Seattle, Las Vegas and Phoenix on the mainland. In the Pacific, Hawaiian flies to American Samoa and Tahiti. Next month, Hawaiian will launch its Australia route to Sydney.