Southwest Airlines completes test flight to Hawaii

DALLAS >> Southwest Airlines has completed a test flight from Oakland, California, to Honolulu to demonstrate to federal aviation officials that it should be authorized to begin scheduled flights from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii.

In a statement, the Dallas-based airline said today’s flight was intended to demonstrate to the Federal Aviation Administration its long-range navigation and communications procedures and capabilities.

Southwest has applied for FAA certification to fly to Honolulu and three other Hawaiian destinations from Oakland, San Jose, San Diego and Sacramento in California. No dates have been announced but the recent partial federal government shutdown delayed the federal regulatory approval process.

State transportation officials announced today that a new waiting area with charging stations, new restrooms, an escalator and elevator have been completed at Honolulu’s airport, and are now ready for Southwest Airlines. These improvements to the G gate area in Terminal 2 have been completed at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.