Hawaiian Airlines (HA, Honolulu) has announced it will commence commercial A321neo operations during the first quarter of next year. The first of eighteen aircraft of the type is provisionally due to arrive in October of this year

In a statement, the carrier said the A321neo's inaugural US West Coast-Hawaii service - Oakland International-Kahului - is planned for January 8. This will be followed by daily, non-stop flights from Portland International to Kahului on January 18. Hawaiian’s seasonal widebody service currently offered between Oakland International and Lihue through September 4, will resume from April 11, 2018, onwards as a daily A321neo flight. Daily service between Los Angeles International and Kona on the Island of Hawai‘i will launch on March 11 with widebody aircraft before the A321neo is introduced in the summer of 2018.

Airline CEO, President, and Director, Mark Dunkerley, said in a 1Q17 earnings call earlier this year Hawaiian would likely add three A321neo this year with eight due in 2018.