Hawaii has no more..."Aloha"

Old school aloha

For many of you who grew up in Hawaii, this was a familiar airline design.  Before I knew about Hawaiian Air or Mid Pacific Air, I knew Aloha airlines and the "wings of Aloha".  Maybe it was because my parents knew a bunch of people that worked for the carrier including my uncle.  Maybe because it was one of the most frequent flying planes that flew over my elementary school.  Either way, it has been a part of my life as well as many others who grew up in the islands.

Well, if you haven't heard, the 61 year old air carrier is going out of business due to bankruptcy.  Maybe it was the high gas prices that did them in.  I on the other hand think that mainland competitor Go! Airlines did what they palnned to do, which was take out Aloha Airlines for good.  Apparently they succeeded by playing price wars that the little local carrier could not keep up with.  At times, Go! would offer $29 one way fares and even gave away a bunch of free flights just to put Aloha in the red.  The sad thing about this whole situation is that today is their last flights and tommorrow will be the last day of operations for the local carrier.  All 1,900 employees will have to find a new job and any customers of Aloha will be stranded.  Above all that, a local icon will be lost forever and will be spoken about in stories of the good old days of Hawaii before big business.

Aloha

Take a good look.  Tommorrow it will all be a memory.  For those of you who moved away, Aloha is no more in the islands.  Your only bet is Go! Airlines or Hawaiian Air.  Let me tell you that my money is going to Hawaiian Air and the "friendly skies".