Southwest eyes Hawaii’s lucrative island-hopping routes

Once Southwest Airlines starts flying to Hawaii as early as next year, it may well add a compelling wrinkle to its schedule: flights between the islands. The carrier is mulling whether to include some in-state travel along with its trans-Pacific routes, which the company plans to offer starting next year. Southwest CE Gary Kelly said last month that island-hopping flights are something it’s “obviously” considering—they’re attractive in terms of year-round demand, easy weather, and steady prices. While Southwest would face off against Hawaiian Airlines, a deeply entrenched competitor which enjoys a virtual monopoly in the state, it does have a secret weapon. Andrew Watterson, the Southwest executive who oversees revenue and is in charge of cracking the Hawaii nut financially, worked at Hawaiian for 3 years and knows the market well. <br/>