As Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines continue efforts to integrate operations, Jim Landers, who has worked for Hawaiian for more than a decade, has been tapped as head of Hawai‘i operations.
In fact, Alaska Air Group this week announced a Honolulu leadership team that will oversee Hawaiian and Alaska's combined operations in Hawai‘i once the carriers receive a single operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration this fall.
Alaska Air Group, Inc. and Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. announced in December 2023 that Alaska Airlines would acquire Hawaiian Airlines in a deal that was valued at approximately $1.9 billion, including $900 million of Hawaiian’s net debt, according to an announcement at that time. The acquisition was completed last September.
The distinct Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines brands will be maintained but the loyalty programs from both will be combined into one.
Landers, a U.S. Navy veteran who joined Hawaiian in 2013, is the senior vice president of technical operations and currently oversees the airline's operations control functions, flight operations, maintenance and engineering, and supply chain management, Alaska Airlines said in a July 29 announcement.
In his new role, he'll report to Joe Sprague — who was named CEO of Hawaiian Airlines in September following its combination with Alaska Air Group — and will be responsible for "safety and operational performance while supporting all aspects of the combined operations in the islands."
"Hawaiian and Alaska airlines are going through a lot of exciting change in a very short period, and our Honolulu leadership team will help support our thousands of employees in Hawai‘i as we further integrate our operations and build on Hawaiian’s long legacy of serving the Islands," Landers told Aloha State Daily in an emailed response to questions. "My main priorities are to ensure we continue to run a safe and reliable operation as we grow our network with Alaska Airlines, and deliver more benefits to our guests and communities across the islands and beyond."
Landers says that during his 27 years in the Navy, he traveled the world and lived in dozens of places, but Hawai‘i is home and there's no place he'd rather be.
"I joined Hawaiian in 2013 when Hawaiian was going through another phase of rapid growth as we were investing in new aircraft and launching more international destinations," he says. "As we progress forward in this period of change, I intend to continue to lead the Hawai‘i operation putting the positive experience of our guests at the forefront and focusing our phenomenal team on safe and reliable operations."
Other core members of the Honolulu leadership team include Alisa Onishi, managing director of marketing for Hawaiʻi; Daniel Chun, managing director, Hawaiʻi public affairs and sales; Jonathan Goo, safety director; and Melodi Pieper, human resources regional director.
Additionally, the announcement notes that Beau Tatsumura has been named managing director, Hawai‘i, international and heavy maintenance, and Monica Kobayashi has been named managing director of airport operations and customer service.
A head of Hawai‘i guest operations will soon join the leadership ranks, Alaska says.
According to Alaska, Honolulu is the company’s second-largest hub after Seattle, with more than 6,500 Hawaiʻi-based employees.
"The Honolulu leadership team will support several thousand frontline employees in the Islands while also managing ongoing integration work, including the rollout of a combined loyalty program launching this fall and the adoption of a single passenger service system next spring," the announcement noted.
No changes have been announced for the CEO position and Sprague remains in that role. ASD sat down with Sprague earlier this year to talk about the merger and future plans. You can read that story here.
The joint operation is on schedule to received a single operating certificate from the FAA in October.
"This is a phased process with several FAA requirements, and we remain on track," an airline spokesperson told ASD.
According to the FAA, every airline in the U.S. has an FAA-issued operating certificate, but a merger combines "all aspects of two airlines' operations into a new entity under a single operating certificate." Each airline operates separately under its own certificate through a lengthy, six-phase process to combine both organizations.
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
