July 26, 1946, is a day that will remain dear to many Hawaii residents because that’s the day Aloha Airlines, then called Trans-Pacific Airlines, had its first revenue flight. It was a day that would mark the birth of Hawaii’s second largest flagship airline. It would also be a day that would be celebrated for years to come by generation’s o families that shared a part of this airlines great lineage over the next six decades. Stories of “bare bones” operations, noisy flights, hula performances by the “stewardesses” and the picturesque view from the DC-3’s that took your breath away, these are the stories our grandparents remember about their flights on Trans-Pacific Airlines (TPA). They remark at the lack of comfortable accommodations and decor within the aircrafts and just smile as they remember those carefree days long gone.
Bill Wood states in his book “50 Years Of Aloha, The Story of Aloha Airlines”, the airline was the brainchild of a remarkable man named Ruddy Tongg. Mr. Tongg owned a publishing company and was an affluent Chinese who was familiar with the frustrations of the ethnic minorities in Hawaii. Back then, in spite of being in Hawaii, the Caucasians who flooded to Hawaii enjoyed many of the benefits not extended to those not of the Caucasian race. Money wasn’t so much an issue when it came to the inequities but rather just the stigma of racial prejudice that was not a part of Hawaiian culture. So it was a time of growth and new discoveries for the Hawaiian Islands. Mr. Tongg wanted to make his mark in Hawaii history and represent the strength and independence of the minority races that were treated unjustly. So, with a dream of social equality and the drive to make it work, Ruddy Tongg and a group of associates, who remain unnamed, embark on their first steps towards creating an airline that will span over 60 years and help define the financial landscape of the Hawaiian islands.
The early years of TPA were difficult and grime. Many of the aircrafts that TPA acquired were surplus aircrafts from the military so they lacked the comfortable and aesthetically pleasing atmosphere passengers are familiar with today. The planes seating configuration consisted of seats facing inward and lining up along the fuselage, or the interior walls of the plane. Many times the passengers and cargo were flying side-by-side. The aircrafts were not pressurized so they couldn’t fly very high. It was commonplace to fly along the island chain and see almost up close the beautiful waterfalls and lush mountaintops of Maui, Kauai and the Big Island of Hawaii.
Ruddy Tongg’s dream of a “kama`aina” airline was coming true. The “stewardesses” were beautiful and provided each passenger with flowers, drinks and a hula show onboard. With the flights between islands lasting anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours long. Many employees of TPA performed various tasks when asked to “fill in”. No such thing as “not on my job description” during these early days and the employees didn’t mind helping out because that was the Hawaii culture back then.
Then TPA changed its name to TPA Aloha Airlines later to drop the TPA and become simply Aloha Airlines. Two names synonymous with the airline are Dr. Hung Wo Ching and Mr. Sheridan Ing. These two men help to orchestrate a turnaround for Aloha Airlines and help to foster the “spirit of aloha” within the ranks of the employees. However, despite the creative and courageous efforts of the two men, Aloha Airlines continued to see fewer good days and more bad days financially. Eventually, Dr. Ching and Mr. Ing would become the private owners of Aloha Airlines and would do all they could to continue helping the airline. Under their tutelage, the airline would expand and see morale increase despite the looming financial issues. However, Aloha was always considered to be the more stable of the two Hawaii flagship airlines. Whenever a Hawaii resident would ask which of the two airlines do better and is more
In 2005, Aloha Airlines would, in practice, by owned by a new company, Yucaipa Cos. LLC, because they bailed Aloha out of bankruptcy by investing $100 million. “The families”, Chings and Ings, as they were fondly and reverently referred to, would still have interest in the airline and would have seats on the board of directors. Many employees were conflicted about this “buyout” because of the uncertainty of what it would hold for the company in the future.
Unfortunately the addition of Go! Airlines, subsidiary of Mesa Airlines, into the Hawaii inter-island airline industry would prove to be more than just a pesky nuisance. In 2006-2008, Aloha Airlines suffered the biggest losses financially than ever before. It was rumored that Yucaipa was writing checks to the tune of $8million per month to cover operating expenses including payroll, airport taxes and rent, from January 2007 until now. No one can say how true that rumor is.
What does the future hold for Aloha Airlines now that it has filed for Chapter 11 Reorganization Bankruptcy again? The consensus is the airline may not last much longer but it would be a sad day if Aloha had to close its doors.
So much history and memories surround this carrier and its place in the evolution of the state of Hawaii. Its history is a part of the many successes that abound in the state. People remember their parents and grandparents working hard at Aloha to pay their way through school. Now many of these people are successful doctors, lawyers, business owners who have this little airline in Hawaii to thank for being a part of their personal success. Students who attended mainland colleges were able to fly home because family members worked at Aloha and many others benefited because of scholarships provided by Aloha and the various unions representing Aloha employees. Victims of Hurricane Iniki and Iwa were helped because Aloha sent over supplies to help rebuild the devastated areas. When a coworker needed help, the other employees of Aloha were there to help. The generosity of the employees helped to foster the sense of “ohana” at Aloha, and that will missed most of all according to some. Many have watched their coworkers families grow and flourish while at Aloha. Aloha is more than just an airline. It’s a testament to the power of sheer will and determination of one man, Ruddy Tongg, and to Dr. Ching and Mr. Ing and their investments emotionally and financially into an airline that they knew would help benefit the island residents. Aloha is a symbol of the strength and kindness the “kama`aina” possess and has secured itself as one of the pillars that hold up the foundation of Hawaii’s state history and, no matter the outcome, will always represent the “Spirit of Aloha” that is Hawaii!
Bill Wood, 1996 “50 Years Of Aloha: The Story of Aloha Airlines”, Aloha Airlines, Inc.
