go! sets off new round of $19 fares
By Rick Daysog
Advertiser Staff Writer
Interisland carrier go! announced a new round of $19 one-way fares to coincide with the launch of its new service to Lana'i, Moloka'i and Kapalua, Maui.
The special fares, which are available on all go! flights, were immediately matched by competitors Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines.
go!, a unit of Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group, said go!Express will begin operations on April 16 with 12 daily flights between Kona and Kahului, Kahului and Kapalua, and Honolulu and Kapalua.
The new venture, which will fly Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft, is in partnership with Kailua, Kona-based Mokulele Airlines.
"This new go!Express partnership will extend our network and offer go!'s market-leading low fares to more travelers throughout Hawai'i," said Jonathan Ornstein, Mesa's chief executive officer.
The $19 fares must be purchased by March 23 and are good for travel through April 23.
Restrictions apply to the go! fares, and the airline did not specify how many $19 tickets would be available. The company said the $19 fare will be available on all go!Express flights and go! flights during the period specified.
When go! last announced the $19 fares in September, they were immediately matched by Aloha and Hawaiian.
Prior to that, go! offered $19 fares when it opened for business on June 9. Hawaiian matched those fares while Aloha countered by giving away 1,000 tickets.
go! touched off a price war when it opened for business in Hawai'i on June 9.
Aloha executives have said that all three interisland carriers are losing money when they sell interisland tickets below $50.
Reach Rick Daysog at rdaysog@honoluluadvertiser.com.
Correction: go!Express on April 16 will begin flying between Kona and Kahului, Kahului and Kapalua, and Honolulu and Kapalua. A previous story incorrectly stated that carrier will fly from Honolulu to Lana'i and Moloka'i starting on that date. Those routes will be added by the airline later this year.
