Dive Brief:
- Hawaiian Airlines is electrifying more of its ground support fleet at its Honolulu hub to lower emissions and cut back on fossil fuel consumption, it announced Monday. Hawaiian’s Honolulu hub is the second-largest operated by Alaska Air Group, the carrier’s parent company.
- The airline will replace 116 diesel and propane-powered ground support equipment with electric baggage tractors, belt loaders and aircraft pushback tractors, according to a May 18 press release.
- The move will bring Hawaiian Airlines’ total share of electrified ground support vehicles at the Honolulu hub up to 73%, according to the release. Hawaiian Airlines merged with Alaska in 2024, and the combined company has a goal of reaching net-zero by 2040, according to the corporate impact report it released in June 2025.
Dive Insight:
Hawaiian Airlines said that, in addition to greenhouse gas emissions reductions, the transition to lithium battery-powered equipment will increase the efficiency and working conditions for ramp employees tasked with moving more than 8,500 checked bags for roughly 180 daily flights at the Honolulu airport hub.
Ryan Spies, managing director of sustainability for Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines, said in the release that electrifying Honolulu’s ground fleet “represents an important step in [the company’s] long-term sustainability strategy.”
“By investing in cleaner, quieter and more efficient equipment, we’re reducing our environmental impact, enabling safe and reliable operations, and improving the workplace for our teams and the travel experience for our guests,” Spies said.
The airline estimates that the electrification of the ground support equipment at the Honolulu hub will have an “annual environmental benefit” that’s equivalent to taking 65 cars off the road, offsetting the emissions needed to power 55 homes or “avoiding roughly the same emissions as 25 roundtrip flights between Honolulu and Seattle.”
The Hawai’i Department of Transportation supported the electrification through the installation of 60 charging ports across the airport and is building eight additional ports expected to be ready later this year. HDOT Director Ed Sniffen said the investment in electric infrastructure is part of a $7 billion investment in airline modernization HDOT advanced earlier this year.
Hawaiian Airlines — and any other airlines with electrified ground support equipment at the airport — will receive no-cost charging for two years, Sniffen said in the release.
“Hawaiian Airlines’ new fleet of electric ground support equipment represents an important contribution to our efforts to build long-term energy security for Hawai‘i,” Sniffen said. “Investments in our electric infrastructure coupled with Governor [Josh] Green’s efforts to secure cleaner energy options for thermal generation, will help improve overall airport efficiency, reduce the cost of power and achieve Hawai‘i’s clean energy goals.”
Hawaiian Airlines said it plans to expand its electric ground support vehicles to other Hawai’i airports “as infrastructure becomes available.” Alaska Air Group — which also includes Horizon Air — has electrified 42% of its ground support fleet to date, the release said.
Hawaiian Airlines is responsible for 26% of Alaska Air Group’s scope 1 and scope 2 emissions inventory and 23% of its scope 3 emissions inventory, according to the 2024 combined impact report.
