Homepage > Travel

$19 One-Way Fares Sparks War Of Words

POSTED: 6:43 am HST September 22, 2006
UPDATED: 10:59 am HST September 23, 2006

The air-fare war for interisland travel is heating up again.

Mesa Air Group's go! announced Friday morning that it would sell a $19 one-way ticket from Honolulu to Lihue, Kahului, Kona or Hilo. Hawaiian and Aloha airlines followed a few hours later with news that it would match the price.

The tickets for go! began selling on Friday. The tickets must be purchased by midnight Sept. 30 and used until Feb. 28.

go! began offering $19 fares when it first started flying in Hawaii in June. Prices since then have gone up to $39 for a one-way ticket. Hawaiian and Aloha airlines kept their prices in line with go! in many of the moves in the summer travel season.

"We've had a great response. It may be our best day of sales yet," said Joe Bock of go! Airlines.

The move launched a war of airfares and words.

Go! called their new offering "Hero fares." It is a play on a newly formed group HERO, Hawaiian Employees Repelling Orstein. Jonathan Ornstein is go!'s chief executive officer.

That didn't go over too well with the group HERO, which claimed it represents workers from all four interisland airlines.

The top two Hawaii airlines blasted go! for its tactics.

"It's clear that go!'s latest action is a direct attack on the livelihood of Aloha's employees," Aloha Airlines said in a statement.

"If it wasn't clear to everyone before, it should be now that Mesa (go!'s parent company) is trying to eliminate competition in Hawaii," a written statement from Hawaiian Airlines said.

Meanwhile Island Air has stayed out of the fare war. It was offering one-way fares up to $100.

Links We Like

In the workplace it’s the little things that get you noticed and help you stand out above the rest. Do these things and increase your chances for a promotion. More

If your credit is shabby, you'll need to shore up your score to convince a lender you're worthy. Here's how to boost your point total. More

Exercise has many benefits for people with ADHD, including improved attention spans, focus, and even sleep patterns. More

To get the best possible treatment it is vitally important that you correctly diagnose the specific type of cancer you or a loved one has. More

Today's Hot Deals

Sponsored Links