HONOLULU-
Go!, Hawaii's new upstart airline, is offering a promotional one-way fare of $19, plus fees and taxes, according to parent company Mesa Air Group Inc.
"Interisland fares have been too high for too long, and go! is here to make a change," said Jonathan Ornstein, chairman and chief executive officer of Mesa. "At $19, we hope to give everyone the chance to fly go! and have the opportunity to visit friends and family at an affordable price."
The $19 fare became available at noon Wednesday and will remain available until 11:59 p.m. Friday or until the special tickets sell out.
They will be valid from Friday, when go! launches interisland service, through July 9 between Honolulu and Kahului, Lihue or Kailua-Kona. They may also be used between Honolulu and Hilo from June 30, the day the service starts, until July 9.
Meanwhile, Hawaiian Airlines announced Wednesday that it will match the $19 fare, with tickets to be booked online.
"We know that people will shop and compare, and we're confident they'll appreciate Hawaiian's high quality of service, proven track record of reliability and our commitment to the community. We're ready to compete," Hawaiian President and CEO Mark Dunkerley said.
Aloha Airlines didn't match the special fare.
"Over the years, we've seen many startups come and go with goofy fares designed to steal passengers away from Hawaii's homegrown airlines," said Thom Nulty, Aloha's senior vice president of marketing and sales.
"While Aloha will always be competitive, we will also act responsibly to ensure that Hawaii's people have the high-quality, reliable, full-size jet service they expect from us," he said.
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