Southwest Airlines has been granted tentative approval for Hawaii flights but it still needs to wait for federal approval.
Recognizing ‘there is a lot of excitement’ over proposed service to Hawaii from the west coast, space has been granted at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport on a month-by-month basis until FAA approval.
"We understand there is a lot of excitement regarding the service and we are working with the airline to accommodate its logistical needs," said Hawaii department of transportation spokesman Tim Sakahara.
Southwest needs to meet Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards (ETOPS) for the route.
The airline remains unperturbed over a launch date, expecting to start flying to Hawaii in late 2018 or early 2019, pending a FAA decision.
"We don’t have anything to share today other than to echo the building excitement of our employees and fans as Southwest approaches a long-desired opportunity to serve the Hawaiian Islands," said Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins.
"Our work continues on the mainland and with the State of Hawaii to ready the landscape for our service."
If it should be in 2019, it ‘won’t be the end of the world’ Southwest CEO Gary Kelly recently said during an earnings call.
