Hawaiian, Southwest address their clash within Hawaii

Hawaiian Airlines insists it has the market presence needed to hold its own against newcomer Southwest Airlines on intra-Hawaii routes. And Southwest somewhat concedes the point, but thinks it has a recipe that works in Hawaii. "Hawaiian is the hometown carrier. I think we will always be second fiddle to them, as far as the local presence," Southwest's chief revenue officer Andrew Watterson said. At the Boyd Group International Aviation Forecast Summit Aug 26, Watterson and Hawaiian's CE Peter Ingram addressed the market battle brewing in the island state. Southwest began Hawaii flights in March. But unlike most other US airlines, Southwest not only flies to Hawaii from the US mainland. The airline also flies a small but expanding network of routes within Hawaii. – a market deeply personal to Hawaiian. <br/>