Hawaiian Airlines’ new Travel Pono program is dedicated to protecting the people and environment of Hawaii.
The Kahala Hotel & Resort offers cultural lessons.
As a destination carrier, Hawaiian Airlines has always had a special connection to the islands and its people. But recently, the company committed to sustainable travel and helping the natural environment with its Travel Pono (explore with care) program. I spent a week learning about its new initiative and am inspired to share the experience.
Hawaiian Airlines soars high with its new Travel Pono initiative.
As 90% of its employees call the Aloha State home, the company felt it was important to take on the responsibility to preserve natural resources and to help its guests gain a deeper connection to Hawaii through cultural experiences. Along with in-flight videos highlighting the importance of ocean and hiking safety, conservation of endangered species and local cultural practices, Hawaiian Airlines partnered with Jason Momoa’s water company, Mananalu, to replace plastic water bottles with aluminum in its Premium cabins, and with Conservation International to encourage guests to offset the carbon footprint from travel.
The Kahala pool and beach
On land, I was eager to visit Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi, a nonprofit located in the lush heart of Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu, that is committed to land restoration and cultural conservation work. Hawaiian Airlines employees have volunteered here for years, and visitors to the islands are welcome to join in educational visits and volunteer work days to help out in the lo‘i (a water taro patch). Much of the kalo and other produce grown at the farm are grown by smaller Hawaii farmers and used by local chefs.
The Kahala Hotel & Resort’s nursery, where guests can choose a tree to plant at Kahala Legacy Forest.
The first hotel partnering with Hawaiian Airlines that I visit, Turtle Bay Resort, is active in efforts to preserve the natural environment and foster local community. Its breathtaking 1,300-acre property encompasses 650 acres of permanently allocated conservation space; I take a golf cart tour to Kahuku Point, where the resort is currently removing invasive ironwood trees to restore the sand dunes. At night, dinner is served at Alaia—the resort’s chic restaurant serving a modern take on Hawaiian comfort food—where the produce is sourced directly from on-site Kuilima Farm, a partner of Pono Pacific aiming to bolster sustainable food production.
Turtle Bay Resort aerial view, Ocean Club lounge and pool lounge.
Another Hawaiian Airlines partner is The Kahala Hotel & Resort, where Joe Ibarra—its first Native Hawaiian hotel manager—is passionate about the role the resort plays in sustaining Hawaiian culture. I join a couple of classes offered to guests: learning to string a lei and lauhala weaving, a program sponsored by the hotel’s KISCA initiative for sustainability, culture and the arts.
Turtle Bay Resort aerial view, Ocean Club lounge and pool lounge.
The hotel also partners with O‘ahu nonprofits for guest volunteer opportunities, and is committed to planting endemic milo trees at Gunstock Ranch on the North Shore for its reforestation project. Its hope is that, together, guests and residents can continue to preserve the beautiful islands and mālama ʻāina (care for the land).
Turtle Bay Resort aerial view, Ocean Club lounge and pool lounge.
Photography by: PLANE PHOTO COURTESY OF HAWAIIAN AIRLINES; NURSERY PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KAHALA HOTEL & RESORT; PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KAHALA HOTEL & RESORT; TURTLE BAY PHOTOS COURTESY OF TURTLE BAY RESORT
