The Takeover Continues: Hawaiian Losing Its 'HA' Flight Code

Let's call it the painful price of keeping the airline alive. Since its takeover by Alaska Airlines Group, Hawaiian has seen its new owner slowly chip away at its identity. One big move in recent times was the announcement that the 787-9 Dreamliners operated by Hawaiian would be getting a new Alaska Airlines livery. But the most recent news sees the We take a look at this news for today's video. If you've had any air travel at all, you'll be familiar with flight codes. These customer-facing codes identify flights, with the two-letter prefix distinguishing one airline from another. For Alaska Airlines, it's AS, while for Hawaiian, it's HA. And it's been this way for the latter According to October 2025 schedule data filed by Alaska, Hawaiian's flights will move into a temporary HA 800-1299 range beginning October 26th, 2025. With data confirmed by AeroRoutes, the HA code itself will be fully retired for flights on or around April 22nd, 2026. The website Beat of Hawaii seems to place a great deal of importance on the two letters, saying, Since 1929, HA has been more than a flight code. It has been a symbol of Hawaii's resilience, connecting the islands to the world through war, recessions, and change. The website then says that the code change breaks the promise Alaska Airlines executives made when it first announced its purchase of Hawaiian, that it would preserve Hawaiian's brand and spirit. The change of flight codes may indeed be meaningful for some, but barely noticeable for others. For Alaska Airlines Group, it's a practicality and perhaps an inevitability as it works to harmonize the two airlines' internal systems, like ticketing, reservations, crew scheduling, maintenance, and even pilot call signs. For the time being, Alaska Airlines Group is keeping good on its promise to maintain the Hawaiian identity in terms of aircraft livery. Well, except for the 787 Dreamliners. As far as we know, Hawaiian crews will keep their own distinct uniforms and cabin interiors. The Beat of Hawaii is skeptical of this remaining a long-term arrangement, citing the fact that when Alaska merged with Virgin America, Virgin's code and brand vanished within two years. Looking at the situation from a distance, it makes sense for Alaska Airlines Group to maintain a Hawaiian identity for operations out of Hawaii. The state and its airlines' vibe and culture are so unique from other parts of the country and other airlines that it would indeed be a huge loss if Alaska were to phase this out. So hopefully, the elimination of the HA code is where things stop, but we'll just have to wait and see. What are your thoughts on the changing of the HA code to Alaska's AS? Do you feel like these prefixes hold special value? Let us know by leaving a comment.