Hawaiian Airlines parent Hawaiian Holdings remained profitable in the second quarter, posting a $27.5 million profit.
"Unlike most of our competitors, we have been able to strengthen our balance sheet over the course of the last six months. With the credit markets in turmoil, and recognizing that we have a number of substantial outlays in the next few years, this comparative strength is of tremendous importance," President and CEO Mark Dunkerley said. "Higher fuel prices and lower fares suggest that the period ahead will be even more challenging, so this good start to the year is vital."
Hawaiian's six-month profit of $51 million represented a 48.2% increase from the $34.4 million reported in the year-ago semester. Operating income more than doubled to $67.6 million from $26.5 million.
Founded January 30, 1929 as Inter-Island Airways, Hawaiian Airlines operates a fleet of 34 Boeing 717 and Boeing 767 aircraft from its base in Honolulu to over 200 destinations in Hawaii, the South Pacific and the US. Hawaiian employs over 3700 airline professionals across its route structure. Continuing a remarkable streak of on-time consistency that began in 2004, Hawaiian Airlines led the nation’s carriers in punctuality for the fifth straight year in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Air Travel Consumer Report.
