Alaska Air Group, the parent organization of Alaska Airlines, has revealed the interim leadership team for Honolulu, which will oversee the operations of Hawaiian Airlines from the completion of the transaction until the full integration of operations under a unified operating certificate, encompassing both Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines brands.
With the final approval from regulators now secured, Alaska Airlines is poised to finalize the transaction and redirect its attention towards acquiring a unified operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In the interim, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines will function as a single entity while maintaining two distinct airline operations, each governed by its own operating certificate. The interim leadership team in Honolulu will oversee the operations of Hawaiian Airlines during this transitional phase.
Upon the announcement of the merger, it was indicated that Peter Ingram, the President and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, would resign from his position once the transaction is completed. Joe Sprague, the current regional president of Hawai‘i/Pacific for Alaska Airlines, is set to be appointed as the chief executive officer of Hawaiian Airlines. In this capacity, Sprague will manage all facets of Hawaiian Airlines’ operations until the FAA issues a single operating certificate to Alaska.
Alongside Sprague, the interim leadership team in Honolulu will include several senior executives from Hawaiian Airlines. This team, which brings together nearly 65 years of collective experience with Hawaiian Airlines, consists of:
- EVP of Administration – Shannon Okinaka
- SVP of Human Resources – Robin Kobayashi
- SVP of Technical Operations (Maintenance & Engineering, Flight Operations, and System Operations Control Center) – Jim Landers
- VP of Airport Operations and In-Flight Services – Lokesh Amaranayaka
- Managing Director of Safety – Terry Hill
- Director of Brand and Culture – Alisa Onishi.
Furthermore, Daniel Chun, the current regional Vice President of Hawai‘i for Alaska Airlines, will join the Honolulu leadership team, where he will be responsible for managing community and cultural relations, government affairs, and sales in Hawai‘i.
The existing leaders of Hawaiian operations, Bob Johnson (Vice President of Flight Operations), Beau Tatsumura (Vice President of Maintenance & Engineering), and Tom Zheng (Vice President of Technical Operations Business Planning & Services), will maintain their reporting lines to Jim Landers during this transition. Justin Doane, Vice President of Labor & People Relations, will continue to provide support for Hawaiian labor relations.
“We are presented with a rare, once-in-a-generation opportunity to merge two outstanding companies that share similar values and have over 90 years of experience in serving and connecting local communities. I am truly honored to collaborate with these esteemed leaders from Hawaiian Airlines to guide the airline’s personnel, operations, and brand through this transition while upholding our dedication to safety and service,” stated Sprague.
