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Hawaiian Airlines Launches Ontario-Honolulu Service

Hawaiian Airlines Launches Ontario-Honolulu Service; Carrier’s five weekly flights to become a daily service starting May 24

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Carrier’s five weekly flights to become a daily service starting May 24

Hawaiian Airlines today inaugurated five-times-weekly nonstop service to Honolulu (HNL) from Ontario (ONT), giving Inland Empire travelers a convenient way to experience the carrier’s award-winning hospitality on their way to a Hawai’i vacation. Hawaiian’s Ontario-Honolulu service – which will be offered daily starting May 24 to meet summer demand – expands options for Greater Los Angeles residents who have enjoyed the airline’s nonstop flights to the Hawaiian Islands from Los Angeles (LAX) and Long Beach (LGB).

“Southern Californians’ love for Hawai’i and their preference to fly Hawaiian Airlines have allowed us to keep growing our popular service throughout the region,” said Peter Ingram, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, noting that Los Angeles became the carrier’s first U.S. mainland gateway in 1985. “We are excited to bring our service to Ontario airport and looking forward to sharing our award-winning Hawaiian hospitality with more guests from the Inland Empire.”

Guests boarding Hawaiians’ inaugural flight to Honolulu received flower lei and were treated to Hawaiian music and dance. Flight HA73 departs Ontario at 9:05 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with a 12:20 p.m. scheduled arrival time in Honolulu, giving guests ample time to settle into their accommodations and begin exploring O’ahu or to connect to any of Hawaiian’s four Neighbor Island destinations. The flight from Honolulu to Ontario, HA74, departs at 1:05 p.m. and arrives at 9:35 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

“We are thrilled to see this day arrive and to welcome Hawaiian Airlines to all that Ontario International Airport has to offer, as Southern California’s fastest-growing and most convenient aviation gateway. Hawai’i has always been one of the most requested destinations we hear from our passengers, so we are confident that this will be an extremely popular route,” said Mark Thorpe, CEO of the Ontario International Airport Authority.

Hawaiian, the nation’s most punctual airline for 17 straight years, will service the ONT-HNL route with its modern Airbus A321neos, a quiet and fuel-efficient aircraft with 16 luxurious leather recliners in First Class, 44 Extra Comfort seats and 129 Main Cabin seats. Inside, guests will enjoy Hawaiian’s award-winning hospitality, including complimentary island-inspired meals by Hawai’i’s top chefs and streaming in-flight entertainment.

Hawaiian has simplified the experience for guests to meet the state of Hawai’i’s pre-travel testing requirements and be exempt from quarantine upon arrival with a list of state of Hawai’i approved testing providers in Ontario. Guests who obtain a negative test will receive a pre-clear wristband during boarding that allows them to bypass airport screening in Hawai’i.

The Inland Empire Business Journal (IEBJ) is the official business news publication of Southern California’s Inland Empire region - covering San Bernardino & Riverside Counties.

Travel & Tourism

China Airlines restores daily service between Ontario, California, and Taipei

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Airline resumes flights at pre-pandemic frequency with larger aircraft

China Airlines will fully restore daily round-trip service between Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) and Taipei beginning March 26, 2023, ONT officials announced.

The return of daily service connecting ONT and Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) marks a major milestone in Ontario’s recovery of international air service, all of which was suspended at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic nearly three years ago.

“We have eagerly awaited the resumption of daily service between Ontario and Taiwan,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). “This exciting development is a testament to the demand for long-haul international travel from the Inland Empire and the exceptional service provided by our global gateway.”

After suspending service in March 2020, China Airlines resumed ONT-TPE flights in June 2021, gradually increasing service levels as demand returned. The resumption of daily service occurs at the same time that China Airlines marks its five-year anniversary at ONT.

The first carrier to offer nonstop, transoceanic passenger service to ONT after its transition to local ownership, China Airlines will upgrade the aircraft operating the route from an Airbus A350-900 to a larger Boeing 777-300ER, increasing seat capacity from 306 to 358 across premium business, premium economy and economy classes. The service is also scheduled to provide customers with seamless one-stop connections to additional destinations throughout Asia.

TPE is the primary international gateway to northern Taiwan’s more than 9 million residents, while ONT is the closest and most convenient international gateway airport for more than 10 million Southern California residents in San Bernardino, Riverside, northern Orange and eastern Los Angeles counties.

Domestic air travel through ONT surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2022, a milestone achieved by few other airports in California.

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Transportation

Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce Event to Spotlight Brightline West

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Program will highlight what’s next for high-speed rail in the Inland Empire

High-Impact Event Alert

Brightline West will be featured during the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce’s “High-Speed Rail is Headed to the Inland Empire” event on Wednesday, January 11, from 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Jessie Turner Community Center in Fontana, CA, which the County of San Bernardino is a title sponsor. The program will feature an update on Brightline West, including the project’s role in regional and statewide connectivity, its benefits to the community, what to expect in 2023, and how the public can stay engaged.

Featured panelists for the program are:

  • Fiona Ma, Treasurer, State of California
  • Ray Wolfe, Executive Director, San Bernardino County Transportation Authority
  • Sarah Watterson, President, Brightline West 
  • Edward Ornelas, Jr., President/CEO, Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce
  • Matt Burris, Deputy City Manager of Community Development, City of Rancho Cucamonga

Brightline is the only private provider of modern, eco-friendly, intercity passenger rail service in America. The company currently serves Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach in Florida, with its Orlando station beginning service in 2023. Recognized by Fast Company as one of the Most Innovative Companies in travel, Brightline offers a guest-first experience designed to reinvent train travel and take cars off the road by connecting city pairs and congested corridors that are too close to fly and too long to drive. Brightline West will build on this award-winning service by connecting Las Vegas and Southern California, with stations in Las Vegas, Victor Valley, Hesperia, and Rancho Cucamonga, and connectivity to Metrolink’s regional rail network.

“This will transform transportation in Southern California and Las Vegas for generations by providing a fast and efficient connection that gets people out of their cars, reduces traffic congestion and decreases air pollution.” -Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer

KEY FACTS:

  • Expected travel time is approx. 2 ¼ hours
  • Our route is 2x faster than driving
  • Zero-emission, electric train sets
  • Expected top speed is 180 mph
  • 400,000 tons of CO2 removed annually by reducing 3 million vehicles
  • Connections to Metrolink and planned future connection to California High-Speed Rail in Palmdale
  • Convenient station location on the Vegas strip (I-15)

For more information and to register for the event, click here.

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Travel & Tourism

More than 300,000 expected to travel through Ontario International Airport during the holiday season

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Southern California’s Ontario International Airport is expecting more than 300,000 holiday travelers this year.

Ontario International Airport (ONT) is expecting a merry – and busy – holiday season, with passenger volumes expected to surpass pre-pandemic 2019.

ONT officials estimate that 303,266 holiday travelers will utilize the popular Southern California gateway from Sunday, December 18, through Wednesday, January 4.

The busiest travel days, with more than 19,000 airline passengers, will be:

  • Thursday, December 22 (19,182)
  • Wednesday, December 28 (19,099)
  • Thursday, December 29, (19,182)

The lightest travel days will be Christmas Day (10,799) and New Year’s Day (13,973).

Based on current schedules, airlines operating at ONT are offering 378,406 seats during the 18-day holiday period, 5.3% more than winter holidays in 2019. Airlines predict an average 80% of the seats will be filled.

“We are preparing for the anticipated increase in winter holiday travel and doing everything in our power to avoid the stress that can be common at many other airports,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority. “Terminal halls will be decked, retail and dining concessions, as well as passenger lounges, will be open, and our hallmark hassle-free customer experience will be on display.”

Elkadi highlighted the availability of ample parking close to ONT passenger terminals and encouraged travelers to book spaces online at discounted rates before arriving at the airport. He also noted the newly opened Lot 6, where 1,337 new spaces became available at a rate of $15 per day.

Travelers and non-travelers alike will notice new and enhanced amenities and services at ONT this holiday season, including:

  • ONT+, is a free service that enables the non-traveling public to greet family and friends at the gate or spend more time with them as they prepare to depart
  • CLEAR expedited security lanes
  • Aspire premium lounges
  • Delicious food and beverage options accessible via mobile ordering from terminal gate areas

Travel through ONT has surpassed pre-pandemic levels from March through November. Airport officials expect to welcome an estimated 5.8 million passengers for the year as a whole.

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