Amwest to offer service to Hawaii

Tuesday, July 12, 2005 | 11:13 a.m.

America West Airlines long-expected announcement to offer flights to the Hawaiian Islands finally arrived Monday afternoon and Las Vegas will get a daily round trip to Maui, a previously unserved market from McCarran International Airport.

McCarran's second-busiest commercial passenger carrier will begin the Maui service March 1.

The airline, in the midst of merging with US Airways and adopting its name, announced a package of Hawaii flights Monday, with plans for daily round trips to Honolulu and Maui's Kahului airport from Phoenix beginning Dec. 16, the Las Vegas flight to Kahului, a second daily round trip between Phoenix and Honolulu and four weekly round trips between Phoenix and Lihue on the island of Kauai March 1 and three round trips a week between Phoenix and Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii beginning March 2.

The airline will use a twin-engine Boeing 757 jet configured to hold 190 passengers in two classes for the routes.

America West had all but acknowledged that it was going to Hawaii as early as late last year when it was reported that the airline was undergoing training and certification efforts for flights over water.

America West is expected to develop vacation packages with its flights to Hawaii, similar to those it sells with its Las Vegas packages.

While three carriers -- ATA, Hawaiian and Aloha -- offer nonstop round trips between Honolulu and Las Vegas, America West is banking on the appeal of the smaller, lesser-traveled Maui for its lone Las Vegas nonstop.