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En route to Hawaii, fliers can buy activities on the islands

Hawaiian Airlines' new in-flight cashless system allows scheduling with the swipe of a credit card.

By Rosemary McClure, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
03:32 PM PDT, May 17, 2007

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LOS ANGELES — Travelers will be able to jump-start their vacations with a new service being planned by Hawaiian Airlines.

The carrier, Hawaii's oldest and largest, will begin selling island activities while passengers are airborne, said President Mark B. Dunkerley.

The airline is going to a cashless system during flights that will allow flight attendants to swipe credit cards for purchases, he said. The change will allow new retail possibilities, including the sale of island activities.

"You'll be able to schedule your luau in advance," Dunkerley said. "I think a lot of people have busy lives and don't really think about activities until they board the plane. This will make it easier for them to schedule what they'll do during their vacations."

The comments came during a visit the airline's president and chief executive made to The Times on Wednesday afternoon.

He also mentioned Hawaiian's re-launched website, www.HawaiianAirlines.com, which includes three innovations. Visitors to the site will be able easily to chart both the dollar amount and the number of flier miles a flight will cost; the website will display costs over a weeklong period, so consumers will be able to compare prices (after June 19, a two-week comparison will be added); and trip planners can purchase hotels and other activities on the site.