Review of Hawaiian Airlines flight from Kailua to Honolulu in Economy

big island

This place is absolutely gorgeous. Was a tad sad to leave the big island heading to Oahu.

kona airport

Kona airport, one of the two airports with regular commercial passenger flights (the other being Hilo), is quite small though has all the essentials. Always nice to get some fresh air before being stuck in a thin metal tube with 100 other people!

Previous flight arriving from Honolulu

HA377 koa-hnl

Boarding at Gate 10A. Appreciate the chance to board via stairs.

N477HA, a 19 year old Boeing 717 that Hawaiian named Apapane, a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper that is endemic to Hawaii.

Is it just me or does the pitot tube look like a pimple? 

First time flying a Boeing 717 for me. 

Hawaiian 717s are configured 2-2 for first class, and 2-3 for economy. Although the plane is 19 year old, it had been retrofitted and repainted quite recently in 2018 I believe.

Legroom at 29' pitch. I'm 5'6" (though I tell people I'm 5'7") and 105 pounds for reference. 

Tiny compared to my iPhone 8. Reminds me of Spirit's pathetic tray table… (coming April 2020, LAX-PHL)

Flight plan today. 150 nautical miles to total.

Window seat as always :) 
My friend, who is a plane nerd like me, traveled with her girlfriend recently. She wanted to take pretty instagram worthy pics and my friend stuck out in an aisle seat for the entire flight. Happily single!

With no other plane to depart, we left Kona right on time commencing this short 28 minute flight.

Sunset view

Only a brief beverage service was provided on this flight (water/juice)

Row 27 has no windows :(

Here's a special feature of the Boeing 717, a rear exit door.

Cabin shot. Note the front fist class sections consisted of only 8 seats and 120 economy in the back.

Visual approach 08L

Welcome to Oahu!

oahu sights