Hawaiian Airlines travel tips

The deadly wildfires on the island of Maui are likely to affect visitor — and airline — demand to the island for the “foreseeable future,” analysts at T.D. Cowen said Friday.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, September 15. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Hawaiian Airlines reported a net loss of $240 million for all of 2022 on Tuesday, largely attributed to a slower than previously expected return of Japanese travelers and competition for inter-island service between the eight major Hawaiian islands.

Hawaiian Airlines unveiled plans for its newest airplane type, the Boeing 787-9. 

United Airlines’ Scott Kirby traded spots with Delta Air Lines chief Ed Bastian to become the highest-paid U.S. airline CEO in 2022, both in terms of his total pay package and a new methodology for calculating executive salaries. Kirby took the top spot in a year that United turned a full-year net profit of $737 million — its first since 2019.

Airlines have been working to improve in-flight entertainment options for years, with Skift Research stating in a 2014 report that it was an important factor for airlines to compete.

Airlines recently finished a wave of public meetings, during which some executives shared details about internal and consumer-facing tech investments. We’ve rounded up their comments on what they’re doing with internal tech systems, AI, biometrics, airline apps, in-flight entertainment, and more. 

Tropical Storm Hilary drenched California over the weekend, dumping more than half a year’s worth of rain in some areas and snarling travel up and down the West Coast. 

Hawaiian Airlines is offering people in need of an urgent escape from wildfires ravaging Maui $19 flights to safety.