Hawaiian CEO Dunkerley Signs New Three-Year Contract Extension

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May 27, 2010, 08:00 ET

HONOLULU, May 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. Chairman of the Board Lawrence S. Hershfield today announced that Hawaiian Airlines President and Chief Executive Officer Mark B. Dunkerley has signed a new three-year contract extension to continue leading the airline.

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"Mark's leadership of Hawaiian through some extraordinary times has been exemplary, and the Board is pleased that he will continue to lead our company through key phases of expansion in the coming years," Hershfield said.

Dunkerley commented, "I am privileged to work with an outstanding management team and the industry's best employees. I'd like to thank our Board of Directors for their continued support of me and the direction we are taking the company."

Since joining Hawaiian Airlines in 2003 as President and Chief Operating Officer, Dunkerley has led the company to its most profitable years ever and a host of industry-recognized achievements.

Last month, Hawaiian was rated the #1 carrier in the nation for overall service quality and performance in the annual Airline Quality Rating study for the third time in the last four years.

Under Dunkerley's leadership, Hawaiian has consistently outperformed the U.S. airline industry in operational integrity and financial performance. The company's successful restructuring during 2003 and 2004 received international recognition as the turnaround story of the year by Airline Business magazine, winning the prestigious Finance Award at the 2005 Airline Strategy Awards in London.

Dunkerley has held executive aviation positions in North America and Europe for more than 20 years, including senior leadership positions at British Airways and Sabena Airlines Group in Belgium.

Hawaiian will file a Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the coming days to provide more information on Dunkerley's new contract.

About Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian is the nation's highest-ranked carrier for service quality and performance in 2009 in the 20th annual Airline Quality Rating study, having earned that distinction in three of the past four years. Hawaiian has also led all U.S. carriers in on-time performance for each of the past six years (2004-2009) and has been an industry leader in fewest misplaced bags during that same period (#1 from 2005-2007, #2 in 2008 and 2009) as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Consumer surveys by Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and Zagat have all ranked Hawaiian the top domestic airline offering flights to Hawaii.

Now in its 81st year of continuous service for Hawaii, Hawaiian is the state's biggest and longest-serving airline, as well as the largest provider of passenger air service to Hawaii from the state's primary visitor markets on the U.S. mainland. Hawaiian offers nonstop service to Hawaii from more U.S. gateway cities (10) than any other airline, as well as service to the Philippines, Australia, American Samoa, and Tahiti. Hawaiian also provides more than 150 daily jet flights between the Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA). Additional information is available at HawaiianAirlines.com.

SOURCE Hawaiian Airlines