Hawaiian Airlines operated its first international ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi service to Aotearoa over the weekend. The flight, which landed in Tāmaki Makaurau, was staffed by a fully fluent crew.
Manakō Tanaka, the airline’s cultural advisor, says the idea actually came from flight attendants who took the initiative to operate and conduct business in both Hawaiian and English.
“Our Hawaiian language flights started because the community and passengers heard the flight attendants speaking to each other. It was there that they thought we should start our Hawaiian language flights.”
The journey began in 2018 when the airline first trialled the program domestically on its Honolulu-to-Las Vegas route before expanding internationally to Japan.
For one of the flight attendants, Mālia Benevedes, it’s the positive reactions from their passengers that make the effort truly rewarding.
“I think when passengers fly with us, they’re all people who enjoy Hawai’i, and it’s kind of a vacation for them.”
The immersion begins from the moment you step on the plane. Passengers are greeted with welcome cards that serve as a guide, allowing them to order their meals in Hawaiian.
From Cabin Service to Cultural Connection
Even with the recent merger with Alaska Airlines, the commitment to the language hasn’t wavered. Kahōkūokekai Kamake’e’āina, who is another flight attendant, says the support goes right to the top.
“The leaders of Hawaiian Airlines support Hawaiian language... we are encouraged not just among flight attendants, but it’s also taught by Manakō and other employees”
Inspiration from te reo Māori in Aotearoa
Following the historic flight, the crew visited Whakaata Māori today to share this milestone. Seeing how Te Reo Māori is normalised in Aotearoa has been a huge inspiration for the crew, reinforcing the idea that everyone has a role to play in ensuring our indigenous languages survive.
Tanaka says it’s about more than just speaking the language in-flight.
“For us Hawaiian Flight attendants, we are really trying to use the Hawaiian language as much as we can on our own, whether it’s supported or not”
As the crew prepares to head home this Tuesday, they’re soaking up every bit of inspiration they can from Aotearoa.
When they board that return flight to Hawaiʻi, they’ll be doing it exactly how they arrived, completely in their native tongue.
