Hawaiian Launches Sendai Service

Hawaiian Airlines plane. File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

Hawaiian Airlines launched its inaugural flight from Honolulu to Sendai, Japan on Tuesday.

Company officials say the service is the airline’s fifth gateway in Japan and 10th new international destination introduced in less than three years.

Sendai is the largest city in the Tohoku region of northern Honshu.

According to a company announcement, Sendai is known for its many green spaces, high quality of rice, and summer Tanabata Festival.

Mike McCartney, president and CEO of the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority said the added service, with aircraft that seat up to 264 passengers, will improve reach for travelers to Japan and Hawaiʻi.

“This flight will provide visitors from northern Japan with greater access to the Hawaiian islands and will help us in our efforts to reach two million visitors by 2016, a goal we set with the Japan Association of Travel Agents. We look forward to sharing our islands’ unique culture and aloha spirit with visitors from Sendai,” said McCartney in a press release.

According to information released by Hawaiian, the airline will continue expansion into Asia with service to Taipei, Taiwan launching in July; and new nonstop service to Beijing, China set to start in April of 2014, pending government approval.

The service comes on the heels of new international flights to Auckland in March 2013; Brisbane in November 2012; Sapporo in October 2012; New York in June 2012; and Fukuoka in April 2012.