The Real Aloha Airlines
Nov 29th, 2008 by Capsun
Executive Summary: Reaction to go! becoming Aloha; The Real Aloha; The Spirit of Aloha
News of the Unthinkable
Around lunch yesterday, I got news that was so unbelievable, I had to check to make sure it wasn’t April Fool’s Day. The “villainous” go! Airlines will rebrand itself and change its name to…Aloha Airlines! Wrong!, wrong!, wrong!!! As Ryan Ozawa said on his blog:
For people who still feel deep resentment against go! for killing Aloha, this development only adds more insult to injury. If the deal goes through, we’ll soon see “Aloha Airlines” in the sky. But it won’t be Aloha Airlines.
It’s a good thing I was eating Manago’s pork chops to comfort me. I was on vacation in Kona, but was so infuriated by this news that I cut my vacation plans short and came back to Honolulu to research and write this entry; I only had my iPhone in Kona, which wasn’t going to cut it for this kind of post.
The Real Aloha
I’m sorry, I just can’t let this go. And as I said in my inaugural post, I hadn’t flown on The Real Aloha since 2005, but it still bothers me.
To help you distinguish between the two Alohas, I will call the Aloha Airlines that Dr. Hung Wo Ching worked so tirelessly to succeed “The Real Aloha” and the go!/Mesa version “Mesa’s ‘Not Aloha’” – I think I like that, Mesa’s “Not Aloha” has a nice ring to it. Another recommendation was “Aloha Lite” and came from a friend.
Reaction on Twitter
I guess I and others have been so successful at generating negative buzz for go!/Mesa and created such a stigma that this was the only thing left for them to do. Here’s just a sampling of what was said on Twitter:
- “I don’t like the idea of go! usurping the Aloha name”
- “Go! Taking over the Aloha name! Please let that be a joke”
- “I can just hear it now, “Go! With Aloha”. Its a bold move but I wouldn’t Go! there.”
- “For marketing folks its all in a name but for customers in HI its about image. Aloha is something Go! won’t B able 2 morph into.”
But these said it best:
- “re: go! rebrand to Aloha Airlines. SNEEEEEEAKY.”
- “Are you kidding? Mesa wants to rebrand as Aloha?…This just smells.”
- “This just feels so wrong and extremely inappropriate.”
The Spirit of Aloha
What makes an airline great in the eyes of its passengers is not just it’s name, it’s profit and loss statements, stock price, or even its brand – that’s what makes its shareholders happy. No, to garner the deep loyalty and affinity that many of us had and have for the The Real Aloha, it takes the right kind of people. The kind who convey the true Spirit of Aloha (both the airline and the magnanimous value). It is the spirit with which those employees embody the values of their airline that got us all loyal to The Real Aloha to begin with.
I will never have any aloha for Mesa nor the soon-to-be-renamed go!, but maybe I should thank go!/Mesa for giving me something to react to – however harsh my reaction may be. My best posts seem to be inspired by severe negative reaction to something.
So to go!, Mesa, and Jonathan Ornstein: Please just go! – home, somewhere else, away, to he… – OK you get the point. While you will use the Aloha name, logo, and brand, you will never own the iconic image that is The Real Aloha and made us all react so sadly to the original news of its closure. You will never command the respect and loyalty the The Real Aloha did – because you just don’t get that Hawaii is a special place, with special people and values. Seeing the Aloha logo on a prop jet (not a real one) is an insult to The Real Aloha, its glory, and the fond memories so many in Hawaii and beyond have of The Real Aloha.
Now I’ll just have to encourage folks to fly Hawaiian Airlines, Island Air, or Mokulele Airlines – airlines that embrace Hawaii and our values.
Mahalo!
Just go ahead and tell us how you REALLY feel!
I think a lot of people had a very emotional reaction to the news yesterday. I’ve only lived here six years, but when I heard what Go! might do all I could think was they sure know how to kick a guy when they’re down!
I didn’t think Mesa/go! could be any more ignominious. But I guess you have to be good at something. Any chance go! had of reaching out to the people of Hawaii evaporated with this move.
I think that Go! taking Aloha’s name is in extreme bad taste, and I believe I would think so even if Go! hadn’t planned and orchestrated the demise of the real Aloha Airlines.
Fran: Thanks for visiting and your comment. I know it’s a bit harsh, but I think it makes good commentary. I liked this comment from Ryan Ozawa’s blog: Following the same logic… Mark David Chapman should change his name to John Lennon and then go on tour singing Beatles songs!
pomaikai: I like your point that this may be a big PR snafu on their part. We’ll see how things work out.
quilly: Thank you for calling it “the real Aloha” and reminding everyone of go!/Mesa’s role in this whole mess.
[...] was some more interesting commentary (here, and here) about Go morphing into Aloha [...]
You said it all, you said it right, Capsun.
I say “No Go!”
Kaina
if you’re going to tell the story, at least get the details right. This is how it went:
go!: the question you are asking is, “What kind of qualifications does go! have to be Aloha Airlines?” We have as much experience in the air as Aloha Airlines.
Capsun: I knew Aloha Airlines; Aloha Airlines was a friend of mine. go!, you’re no Aloha Airlines.
go!: Capsun says we’re “No Aloha Airlines”!
I think the name fits better. Or it could be translated to be Aloha’ole Airlines, or for short, A’ole Airlines. Or A*ole Airlines.
This really is a disgrace. Mesa pilots putting other higher paid pilots out of work and then using their livery. They should be more than shamed.
First off, did anyone notice my double entendre with the Spirit of Aloha? The other significant point is that was the title of The Real Aloha’s in-flight magazine.
Kaina: Mahalo for stopping by and posting a comment. Now that we have Mokulele, it might be easier for work to avoid go!, no? But I still love the Wings of the Islands.
laurelle: I love it! All three of the names. I’m going to share that with others. Your comment was really well-written. I’d love to help you get a blog started. I know I keep bothering you, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who would want to read what you have to write and say.
xMesa pilot: Mahalo for sharing this. Yes, shame on them!
Some people are missing the point…you don’t beat an outstanding community member to the ground then steal his identity because you can. We are more about honor and tradition, than the bottom line…we are family. I think we should talk more about how we can stop the tidal wave of permanent migration of undesirables to our islands!
Muiling: Are you going to police the “undesirables” for us? I’m fine with others coming here, but would be happier if they would recognize and embrace the specialness of our islands and the much better sense of community we have than other places.
[...] for almost nine times as much as Mesa Air Group (NASDAQ: MESA), parent company of go! Airlines and The Real Aloha usurper, soon to be “Not Aloha” or “No Aloha” or “Aole Aloha” [...]
[...] Judge King loved The Real Aloha as much as I did. Or maybe my post convinced him? Either way, yes, Your Honor, it is just about [...]
[...] Mention: A tie. First, laurelle commenting on my blog calling go! “No Aloha Airlines.” Second, Dave commenting on the Hawaii Blog: Following [...]
[...] realize the irony of me writing this post despite my intolerance toward Mesa/go! Airlines, but that’s a whole different story – and a challenge I guess I need to work on as a flawed [...]
Capsun,
Don’t get me started!! As an 28yr employee of Aloha Airlines and one of the lucky one’s to retire from the first Bankruptcy, go can even play on the same field as ALOHA AIRLINES. Why do you think they need the name? They’re counting on those who go online (cheap tickets, Priceline.com & Travel locity) to hit on a brand name, such as Hawaiian Airlines or the noted Aloha. It’s been proven here in Hawaii that we can only sustain two inter-Island carrier’s. Discovery & Mahalo Air tried and couldn’t make it. go took Hawaiians our books (Aloha) and knew that Aloha was in dire straits for help. With a fleet that needed to be replace and a fuel market that was hurting all the air carriers, all they had to do was work the fare wars of $20.00. $39.00 ect. till they could knock Aloha out. So I say to you all, the 2 carrier’s we should be supporting are the 2 local carrier’s HAWAIIAN AIRLINES & MOKULELE.. NO go………. Let’s send them home packing.
[...] forget about the contest! Share your memories of The Real Aloha Airlines for your chance to win a $10 Starbucks gift card. Contest ends December 18th at 6 [...]
[...] forget about the contest! Share your memories of The Real Aloha Airlines for your chance to win a $10 Starbucks gift card. Contest ends December 18th at 6 [...]
[...] back $39 tickets. Looks like go!/Mesa may be run out of town using the same tactics they used on The Real Aloha Airlines. And what makes it even sweeter is that Mokulele employs many of The Real Aloha’s fomer [...]
[...] your memories of The Real Aloha Airlines for your chance to win a $10 Starbucks gift card. Maybe it’s just that my readers [...]
[...] Even worse, remember the time I had to fly on go!? How about when they added insult to injury and tried to take over the Aloha brand? And finally, remember how their PR guy tried to “sell” that subterfuge to [...]
[...] http://capsun.org/2008/11/29/the-real-aloha-airlines/ [...]
[...] realize the irony of me writing this post despite my intolerance toward Mesa/go! Airlines, but that’s a whole different story – and a challenge I guess I need to work on as a flawed [...]
[...] U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Lloyd King may order a re-bid of Aloha Airlines intellectual assets.It was utterly blasphemous to the legacy of Aloha Airlines that Mesa would end up with these assets. Especially since they were a huge reason why Aloha [...]
[...] Kona Blog and Ian Lind for the tips. Of course, the good news is that Mesa Air Group’s quest to takeover the Aloha name has been delayed, if not defeated. As I’ve said before, please fly Hawaiian Airlines, [...]
[...] Lloyd King’s ruling to invalidate the sale of Aloha’s name and logo. The legacy of The Real Aloha Airlines will not be defiled, despite Mesa Air Group’s go! Airlines’ efforts, at least for [...]
[...] coworker Blaine (@zztype on Twitter) knows how much I cherished The Real Aloha Airlines (http://capsun.org/2008/11/29/the-real-aloha-airlines/ ) that he just had to buy this Ping golf cap when he saw it. I’ll probably never wear it, in [...]
[...] coworker Blaine (@zztype on Twitter) knows how much I cherished The Real Aloha Airlines (http://capsun.org/2008/11/29/the-real-aloha-airlines/ ) that he just had to buy this Ping golf cap when he saw it. I’ll probably never wear it, in [...]
[...] coworker Blaine (@zztype on Twitter) knows how much I cherished The Real Aloha Airlines (http://capsun.org/2008/11/29/the-real-aloha-airlines/ ) that he just had to buy this Ping golf cap when he saw it. I’ll probably never wear it, in [...]
[...] coworker Blaine (@zztype on Twitter) knows how much I cherished The Real Aloha Airlines (http://capsun.org/2008/11/29/the-real-aloha-airlines/ ) that he just had to buy this Ping golf cap when he saw it. I’ll probably never wear it, in [...]