Release #04.HAL5
July 7, 2004

Hawaiian Airlines Pilot Union, Gotbaum File Joint Motion to Pay $11 Million in Back Pay, Pension Owed to Pilots

HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I -- Captain Jim Giddings, Chairman of the Hawaiian Airlines unit of the Air Line Pilots Association reported that the union and HAL bankruptcy trustee Joshua Gotbaum have jointly filed a motion in federal bankruptcy court asking the judge to allow payment of what amounts to $11 million in unpaid salaries and pension payments to Hawaiian Airlines pilots.

The joint motion includes both the 10 percent deferred compensation as mandated in the pilots’ 2000 employment contract, and the past-due amounts for the pension plan. The total amounts are $3.5 million in deferred compensation, and $7.5 million for the retirement plan, respectively.

"This is great news for the more than 300 men and women who have waited patiently for the company to regain its financial strength so it could finally pay what is owed to them," Giddings said. "While this delay has caused many pilots and their families a great deal of worry and anxiety over their future financial security, Hawaiian Airlines pilots have continued to keep the planes flying and to deliver our passengers safely and on time…even though they were being asked to do so under difficult circumstances," he added.

"We are hopeful the court will see the wisdom of the company making good on their promises to pilots, and that the motion will be approved immediately. Then, with this long-standing issue behind us, we will be able to focus all our attention on the going forward issues, including negotiating our next contract and the resolution of Hawaiian’s restructuring. We want to see Hawaiian Airlines emerge from bankruptcy a stronger, more viable company," Giddings added.

Headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaiian Airlines is the nation’s 12th-largest carrier, with 135 daily flights flown by 300 pilots who operate a fleet of B-717 and B-767 aircraft.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s oldest and largest pilots’ union, representing 64,000 pilots at 42 airlines in the U.S. and Canada. Visit the ALPA Web site at http://www.alpa.org.

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ALPA CONTACT: Capt. Jim Giddings, (808) 836-2572

Darcie Scharfenstein, Joan Bennet and Associates, Inc. (808) 531–6087, ext. 2