The Offshoring of Airplane Care

[Story] Starting pay at Aeroman in El Salvador is around $4,500 a year, while veterans take home perhaps $15,000. In the U.S., airplane mechanics earn an average of $52,000 annually.

Sidenote: Blogger Sucks. Should I choose Blogger for my Blog?

Did you notice a absence of new posts between April 1 and April 9 on this site?

On March 31, because of the urgency of this Aloha Airlines shutdown, I decided to create a blog on all the stories around the web.
Breaking news like this requires frequent and often posts of new articles.

Then guess what?

Google locks my blog with some robot bullshit about being a spam site. How can that be when my posts are all from myself, and all the links are to reputable news sites?
So obviously, their blog spambot is poorly designed.

And then they tell you in the automated lock message that it will be 4 days to be reviewed and released. I looked in the blogger help discussions, and folks were waiting for weeks to get unlocked. So this is a very possible risk for anyone considering a hot topic or great idea for a blog.
You get what you pay for, when it comes to blogger.
There are also times when blogspot.com (where your blog is hosted by google) is slow and unresponsive, and just plain not accepting posts.

You can read all the horror stories in blogger help. some help. They dont do much help in here.
here and here.

Here are the cries for help from other bloggers.

One of the google help moderators has a spreadsheet that you can post your blogger URL for Spam Appeal but I tried it and it didn't help. I think they only check it once a week or something dismal like that.

Google is famous for no support. Try finding a employee name and number/email to get some help. I had setup a corporate gmail domain account a few years ago, and their system tells you to setup a admin account in case a user loses their password to re-request it. And guess what? So if I lost my password, it tells me to contact my admin, which is ME! So I called Mountain View directory, googled google, posted to google help, discussions, and everything else. Nothing.
So if you trust your business or idea to google, you have the very real risk of being disappointed at best, and screwed at worst. And this is coming from someone who recommends google and gmail and earth and many of their products to others.

I tried wordpress previously, but they do not test their code for vulnerabilities, and so a hacker exploited one of their flaws, and so after a few months of hard work building my site, it was hacked. I still have it up in the hacked condition for all to see that wordpress is not the best either. It also sucks.

So the momentum of my blog has waned. Whether it can still be a useful resource for anyone is anybody's guess...

I'm sure there are better solutions for a blog out there so keep looking!
Good luck with your own blog!

For some Aloha workers, loss of insurance is disaster

[Story]: "Nakabayashi and his wife, Mercy, for instance, will rent out their three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home in 'Ewa Beach because they can't afford the $1,980 monthly mortgage payment without Rod's Aloha paycheck.

They'll move in with Mercy's family into a two-story, six-bedroom, four-bath house in Salt Lake already crowded with eight people."

ShareAloha

ShareAloha

Special Edition Aloha Airlines shutdown

HonoluluAdvertiser.com | special aloha airlines report & history

Reality hits Aloha Air workers after shutdown | HonoluluAdvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

[Story]: "With the clutter of Brian's handiwork serving as a backdrop yesterday, the Lennarzes sat on their lanai, gazed out at the view of Koko Head and emphasized that there are other Aloha Airlines couples who are just as worried and scared as they are."

Aloha Airlines' CEO Explains the Key Issues

Video: "Aloha Airlines CEO & President David Banmiller had a lot to say to reporters outside Federal Bankruptcy Court Monday."
I tried to talk to the legislators, and they weren't listening.

Employees & Passengers Bid Aloha to Aloha Airlines | KGMB9

[Video]: "'It's a little bit chicken skin, you know, it's you kind of feel for everybody that's involved,' said Aloha passenger Randy Rasmussen."

Last day at HNL - CNN/KHON

[Video]
Quietly watching the Aloha terminal at HNL on Aloha's last day.

Job outlook gloomy for pilots, flight attendants

[Story]: "With airlines across the country struggling to survive, the likelihood of an Aloha Airlines pilot or flight attendant finding a job with similar pay and benefits in this country, much less in Hawai'i, is very slim."

In the end, loyalty went out window

[Story]: "go! showed up with its ill-gotten insider information and dangled $19 fares in front of our noses and we went for it. We went for it the same way we go for 'free hot dogs and balloons for the keiki' at weekend auto lots. Loyalty goes right out the window with a cheap ticket. Jonathan Ornstein counted on Hawai'i travelers to be just that loyal.

It is a sad day for the Aloha employees. It is a sad day for all of Hawai'i. It is a shock to realize that 'local loyalty' is not a solid business plan anymore."

Employees still in shock over shutdown

[Story] "'Right now, I'm just hoping for a miracle,' said flight attendant Marissa Vasper, 31. 'I've always wanted to be a flight attendant. I just can't believe what's happening. This carrier's been around forever.'"

Limited seats go fast, many seek refunds

[Story]: "McGrath, the bride-to-be, said she recommended Aloha to her wedding guests because of their direct flight from California to Maui. The airline also offered travel discounts to wedding guests as part of a 'Wedding Wings' program.

'Aloha Airlines is kind of the reason we decided to have our wedding in Maui,' McGrath, a substitute teacher, said. 'Now, we're just in complete shock.'"

Aloha's final flight 261

[Photos & Videos]: "'I've always loved flying every since I was a kid, and we've always flown Aloha so I've gotten attached to it,' he said. 'It's like the end of an era. It's important for me to be here. Aloha has been a big part of my life and I've become friends with a lot of the employees and I wanted to show my support on the last flight.'"

Hawaiian 105 KINE Listeners Comment on Aloha

[Video]
Billy V on KGMB9 Sunrise.

CEO Banmiller on the hotseat - KHON2

[Video]
Anger and concerns about Aloha Airlines management decisions and timing. They wanted to file bankruptcy at Thanksgiving, and then again at Christmas last year.

Sunglass Hut wants YOU!!!!

[Craigslist Ad]
Job Opportunity? :(

Aloha Airlines CEO's letter to employees

[Letter] "Dear Fellow Employees"

KITV4 - A History of Aloha

[Video]
Aloha Airlines from the beginning.

KCAL9 News - Orange County

[Video]
Reporting from John Wayne Airport on Aloha's final flight.

Aloha ‘Oe, Aloha Airlines

[Story]: "As I mentioned above, Aloha will actually live on in a couple ways. The cargo business is still going to keep running as there have been interested parties in buying it. Also, the airport services operation will continue as well. That’s music to the ears of all major US airlines that contract with them to keep their planes running right now."

Aviation Photos: Aloha Airlines

[Photos]
The Aircrafts of Aloha up to today.
Over 300 great photos of Aloha Aircraft over the years. Great for your computer desktop wallpaper. Let's remember the good times.
Some of these aircraft paint jobs I don't even remember ever seeing in person!

Oakland says Aloha on its final flight [Photo Wallpaper]

[Photo]

Big Island hard hit by Aloha shutdown

[Story] "In 2007, Aloha flew 3.9 million passengers, an increase of 12 percent over 2006, according to federal transportation data."

Tearful Goodbye for Aloha Employees | KHON2

[Story]: "'Just really sad. We all grew up on Aloha Airlines and travelled many many years, so it's just really sad. I think everybody in Hawaii is probably feeling the pain they're feeling,' said an Aloha passenger.

'Whenever there's Hawaiian, Aloha is right next door and it's really gonna be different. I mean something's missing, there's a hole somewhere,' said Aloha Passenger, Wayne Hookano."

Aloha Airlines Reservations Kept Busy Until the End | KHON2

[Story]: "Reservation workers came in on their day off or from their vacations to be here at the call center. They wanted to help - but they also wanted to say good-bye to their friends."

eBay - Aloha Flight Bag

[Photo]
Not as cool as a Pan Am bag, but not bad.

eBay - Airplane Model Kit

[Photo]
Don't you long for the old Aloha swirly logo and the plumeria plane art?

The eBay bidding has begun

Ex-employee trying to make a living?

Aloha Airlines' Customers React to Shutdown

[Video]: "The sudden shutdown has stunned longtime Aloha customers, who are upset about a lot of different things."

Aloha Employees Stunned By Shutdown

KHNL NBC 8 [Video]: "We spoke with a team of flight attendants getting ready to board Aloha's last mainland flight. They were shy to go on camera saying they had no makeup on since they had been crying all morning."

Statement of Mayor Mufi Hannemann on Aloha Airlines

KHNL NBC 8 Honolulu Hawaii |Statement of Mayor Mufi Hannemann on Aloha Airlines

Aloha Airlines' Last Flight from Oakland Gets Water Salute

KHNL NBC 8 Honolulu Hawaii |Aloha Airlines' Last Flight from Oakland Gets Water Salute

Aloha Airlines Flight 473 (OAK-OGG)

[Video]: "We say a Fond Aloha to the Crew of Aloha Airlines who served us so well over the years...Today is a sad day in skies of Hawaii. Its the last day of service for Aloha Airlines......"

Aloha lives on

[video]

Takeoff again with Aloha

[video]

YouTube - Thank you for making your choice, Aloha Airlines!

[video]

Keep on Flying

[Video]

United Airlines to help Aloha Airlines customers

Bulletin

Hawaiian Airlines Customer Assistance

Bulletin

Shutdown to leave void, but economic impact looks small

[story]: "Paul Brewbaker, economist for Bank of Hawaii, said he expects Aloha's disappearance from the passenger business will eventually be replaced with service from other airlines if there is money to be made."

But the planned increases by Hawaiian and go! will only replace about 56,000 of those seats. Hawaiian, the No. 1 interisland carrier, and No. 3 go! plan to boost their weekly seat offerings by 42,000 and 14,000, respectively.

She said Aloha played a smaller role in carrying people to and from the Mainland and that it appears existing carriers should be able to absorb Aloha's passenger shutdown easily.

"They are relatively small and the timing is such that this is the slower season for Hawai'i (tourism)," Iboshi said.

Tumultuous timeline history of Aloha Airlines

[story]: "April 28, 2006: Aloha terminates pensions of nearly 4,000 of its employees and retirees and turned the plans over to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp."

'It affects our whole quality of life'

[story]: "'It's not an inconvenience, it's a catastrophe,' Tsuji said. 'It affects our whole quality of life.'"

Governor tries to intervene in Aloha bankruptcy case

[story] "did anyone think about the 'perks' the airline employees receive? Could that be just a part of the 'loss' the airline suffered?"

Bankrupt Aloha Airlines to End All Flights and Operations

"Aloha has suffered since Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group Inc. launched a new interisland carrier called go! airlines in 2006, triggering a local airfare war.

In January, go! reported a $20 million operating loss in its first 16 months of operations. Meanwhile, Aloha and Hawaiian Airlines — the other major interisland carrier — reported combined losses of nearly $65 million since go! began operating."
[Story]

Aloha Airlines Says Goodbye : NPR

Aloha Airlines Says Goodbye : NPR Radio (34sec)

Aloha grounded by Hawaiian rival

"The airline, founded in 1946, is to stop taking reservations from Monday.

It is Hawaii's second-largest carrier, with 26 Boeing 737s serving five airports across the Hawaii archipelago and six mainland US destinations."
[story]

Aloha Airlines Suspends Flights - Videos - KNBC

Aloha Airlines Suspends Flights - Videos - KNBC TV Los Angeles

Aero-News Network

[Story]: "Two days... and two fewer US airlines. Hot on the heels of Aloha Airlines' Sunday announcement it will stop flying at the close of business Monday, Champion Air announced it will cease flight operations effective May 31."

Hawaii Reporter: Hawaii Reporter

"When City Mill burned down in the Chinatown Fire of 1900, six months after opening, founder C.K. Ai had no insurance. He went to the people who had originally funded him and they backed him again."
[story]

Hawaii Reporter: Hawaii Reporter

Hawaii Reporter: Hawaii Reporter: "I thought I would never see the day when Aloha Airlines would shut down. I still remember riding an Aloha Airlines propeller plane to Hilo and landing at the old airport in Hilo to spend summers with my grandmother in Mountain View."

LAist: Good Day Hawaii, Aloha Australia

LAist: Good Day Hawaii, Aloha Australia: "Meanwhile, the last flights for Aloha Airlines land tonight in California. Aloha already stopped LAX service, but kept a limited number of flights to smaller airports including John Wayne and San Diego. Competition with go! Airlines, who provides extremely cheap fares to the island state, are part of the reason."

Aloha collapse a harbinger of more to come?

[Story]: "'it is no coincidence that carriers like (American), Delta and Northwest are near their 52-week lows (in share values)"

Post-war prejudice gave rise to Aloha 'The People's Airline' - USATODAY.com

Post-war prejudice gave rise to Aloha 'The People's Airline' - USATODAY.com: "When its first flight took off from Honolulu in 1946, the interisland carrier that would become Aloha Airlines was an underdog created by minorities determined to succeed in post-war Hawaii.

Founded by publisher Ruddy Tongg as Trans-Pacific Airlines, it was the answer to a class struggle.

Tongg and his friends had felt the sting of discrimination. They had been bumped off flights on the only interisland carrier, Hawaiian Airlines, which reportedly excluded Asian pilots, flight attendants and counter help in favor of Caucasians."

'Employees of Aloha' TV Commercial

[Commercial]: "Employees of Aloha"
I remember this one. This one made me cry. Sob.

Aloha Employees Angry, Heartbroken - Money News Story - KITV Honolulu

Aloha Employees Angry, Heartbroken - Money News Story - KITV Honolulu: "When employees reported for work on Sunday morning they heard a conference call and received a letter telling them most would be out work in two days."

KHNL NBC 8 Honolulu Hawaii |Aloha Air CEO Hints At More Air Carrier Closures

KHNL NBC 8 Honolulu Hawaii |Aloha Air CEO Hints At More Air Carrier Closures: "Aloha Airlines President David Banmiller, who hints that his airline is the first to fold, but it may not be the last."

Sad Morning for Aloha's Employees and Passengers

[Story]: "After more than 60 years of business in the islands, Aloha Airlines will run its last passenger flights today. The news came as a shock to both employees and consumers. Ramsay Wharton spent the morning talking with employees and passengers at the Honolulu International Airport."

Airline's quick demise didn't surprise everyone

[Story]: "Other airlines operating out of bankruptcy have sold parts of their business — often lucrative parts — to raise money to focus on the rest of their operations. Years ago, Eastern Airlines sold its shuttle service while in bankruptcy, while Pan Am sold lucrative routes to sustain its operations."

Historic Aloha Airlines photos

[Photos]: "Historic Aloha Airlines photos"

Employees, families feel left in the lurch

[Story]: "Chris Opiopio, known as 'Auntie Aloha' by her colleagues, was expecting to retire next year after 30 years with Aloha Airlines. Instead, she is one of some 1,900 Aloha employees losing their jobs today."

The Honolulu Advertiser

[Video]: "Aloha Airlines employees react to the news that their company is shutting down passenger operations — and that they're out of a job."

Aloha Air halts passenger service

[Story]: "Kawika Lum, an Aloha flight attendant for the past six years, said many of his co-workers spent much of yesterday on the phone consoling each other. He added that several dozen off-duty workers went to the airline's facilities at Honolulu International Airport to help passengers and fellow workers."

Staff, passengers hope airline can survive | starbulletin.com | News | /2008/03/31/

Staff, passengers hope airline can survive | starbulletin.com | News | /2008/03/31/: "Chris Opiopio started off as just a voice on the phone, taking reservations from customers for Aloha Airlines 30 years ago."

Merrie Monarch participants coping

[Story]: "The unexpectedly quick shutdown of Aloha Airlines has prompted perhaps hundreds of Merrie Monarch Festival participants to scramble for other flights to Hilo this week."

Industry bigs try to help carrier's customers, staff

[Story]: "'When you pull capacity out of the market, prices tend to go up,' Richards said. 'And that's not good.'"

Government searches for ways to help airline

[Story]: "'Even though it looks a little bleak at the moment, we're not going to be giving up in our efforts to try to assist to keep these jobs,' Baker said."

Aloha Air shuts down

[Story]: "'I think a lot of it has to do with go!, but I think you can also blame the management. I don't think they lived up to their part. And, unfortunately, there's other extenuating circumstances with fuel and stuff.'"

HTA tries to minimize tourism impact

[Story]:: "The HTA said it was satisfied other airlines could step in and provide enough capacity to the Mainland 'to absorb the void left by Aloha.'"

Last-minute Aloha-Hawaiian deal fails

[Story]: "Executives of Hawaiian Airlines and Aloha Airlines met until early Sunday trying to come up with a way to save Aloha, but couldn't work out a deal."

United, Hawaiian offer help but no guarantees to Aloha passengers - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

United, Hawaiian offer help but no guarantees to Aloha passengers - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):: "While Aloha Airlines customers won't be stranded, those with reservations for future flights or who want a refund will face some challenges."

Lingle challenges Aloha shutdown; Inouye says CEO 'did everything he could' - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

Lingle challenges Aloha shutdown; Inouye says CEO 'did everything he could' - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):: "Federal law requires that most workers be given 60 days notice if their jobs are to end permanently under the closing of a plant or business."

Go! offers 40 more interisland flights - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

Go! offers 40 more interisland flights - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):: "Go! airlines, blamed by Aloha Airlines for its demise, said Sunday night it would increase the number of interisland flights in Hawaii from 54 to 94 a day starting Tuesday."

Aloha Airlines to stop flying Monday night; CEO calls it 'an incredibly dark day'

[Story]: "After flying its last flights to California and Nevada on Sunday, the airline offered its last day of inter-island service on Monday. By Monday night, Aloha will have flown its last passenger."

Aloha bankruptcy tougher this time around - PBN

Here are answers to some of the biggest questions that faced Aloha in its final days [story]

Aloha Airlines web site as of 3/31/08

Aloha Airlines: "Special Notice regarding Aloha Airlines suspension of passenger service:

Aloha Airlines to shut down passenger operations after March 31, 2008:"

Links concerning this situation: News Release Frequently Asked Questions Reservations assistance from: Hawaiian Airlines: www.HawaiianAir.com/AlohaAssistance/ United Airlines: www.United.com or 1-800-UNITED1

MAHALO NUI LOA - ALOHA OE

Hawaii airlines top stats again - 2008

[Story]:
How great was Aloha's on-time record?