Aloha Airlines is removing first class seating from its intra-island flights.

“Times have changed,” Zander said “Demand for first-class service on interisland flights has diminished as more and more trans-Pacific carriers, including Aloha, now fly nonstops direct to the neighbor islands. Today, virtually no one in Hawaii wants to pay a premium for a first-class seat on a 30-minute interisland flight.”

Naturally Aloha still offers a premium product between Hawaii and the mainland United States. Hawaiian Airlines offers first class both across the Pacific and on its intra-island service.

While Aloha wasn’t seeing substantial revenue from purchases of their first class product on short-haul flights, upgrades to first was the primary benefit of their elite frequent flyer program. It remains to be seen how they will retain the loyalty of their frequent customers as long as Hawaiian offers a first class product on routes here the two airlines compete.