Hawaii airfare war brings cheap - or free — holiday flights

HONOLULU — The interisland airfare war is heating up just in time for the holidays, with carriers slashing already low prices and one airline offering to board passengers for free on Christmas Day.

Upstart carrier go! dropped one-way fares on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day flights to $25, down from an earlier offer of $29.

Aloha and Hawaiian, the state's two biggest carriers, immediately matched the holiday offer.

Joe Bock, a spokesman for go!, said passengers can purchase the $25 tickets up to the date of travel as long as the flights aren't sold out.

Aloha and Hawaiian said their $25 fares will be available only for some seats.

Pacific Wings, a smaller carrier that flies turboprop planes, took the price slashing a step further, saying all customers would fly free on Christmas.

The free seats were being offered on a first-come, first serve basis starting today.

The latest air war battle started on Sunday when go! lowered one-way fares for interisland travel through Jan. 31 to $29.

Maui-based Island Air followed Wednesday with an announcement it would offer $12 return flights for customers buying round-trip interisland tickets.

Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group fired the opening salvo in June when its go! unit starting flying between the islands for $39 one-way.

The airline later dropped fares to $29 and $19 at various times. Aloha and Hawaiian matched each of the discounts.

Interisland fares were running as high as $100 one-way before go! entered the market.

Aloha and Hawaiian executives have accused go! of improperly using information about the local airline markets that Mesa obtained while considering investments in each of the local airlines. They also allege go! is trying to drive Aloha out of business.

Mesa executives have denied the allegations. They say it was only a matter of time before an airline entered the Hawaii market to challenge Aloha and Hawaiian.