Distances among the Hawaiian
Islands are not great, but the introduction of jet-powered aircraft shrank the
flying time between the Islands’ most distant points to about one hour flying
time. Aloha’s investment in the Fairchild F-27 prop-jet aircraft was a
competitive move, and at once proved a forward step in the inauguration of fast
transportation in the Islands.
This cover was carried on the June 15, 1959 inaugural Air Mail Route 99 flight from Honolulu, Hawaii to Hilo, Hawaii (where it was backstamped) and is listed in the Jet Age Flights Section of The American Air Mail Catalogue as J-110E.
Citing losses from a protracted
fare war incited by inter-island competitor go! (operated by parent company
Mesa Airlines) and high fuel prices, Aloha filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
protection again on March 20, 2008. Ten days later, on March 30, 2008, Aloha
Airlines announced the suspension of all scheduled passenger flights, with the
final day of operation to be March 31, 2008.