Southwest: First Hawaii 'validation flight' will be Tuesday

Southwest appears to be inching ever-closer to launching its long-anticipated service to Hawaii. The carrier plans to make its first flight to the state this week, the airline confirmed Monday. But there won’t be any passengers on board. Instead, the flight from Oakland, California, to Honolulu, will be a proving flight that’s part of Southwest’s effort to secure the "ETOPS" certification it needs from the FAA to operate long overwater flights with its two-engine Boeing 737 jets. The airline's first Hawaii flight is scheduled for Tuesday, "barring any unforeseen changes," a Southwest spokesman said. "Tomorrow's validation flight is not a regular, scheduled flight and only FAA Representatives along with Southwest ETOPS Program Team Representatives and ETOPS-trained Southwest Pilots will be onboard to demonstrate our long range navigation and communication procedures and equipment," he added, noting that additional steps will be required to receive the certification. <br/>