Adding direct flights between HNL and SLC?

[Garfy2008]

Now that Hawaiian Airlines has announced it will begin service between HNL and SLC, is Southwest planning to offer direct flights as well? There is a large contingent of polynesians and others with family/relatives in both UT and HI and I believe that Southwest could gain a lot of clients if they had a direct flight for these locations. I hope it will occur in the near future as many would choose Southwest not only for their lower fares and open seating but for the better baggage policies/fees. Thank you!

[05bardic]

Highly unlikely. Boeing has only been able to deliver about 20 planes of the 85 that Southwest was expecting to receive this year. Because of that Southwest has already had to cancel existing routes. 

[dfwskier]

737- MAX8s would have no problem flying HNL to SLC. The problem is that   prevailing winds from the west and SLC's high altitude present problems with the plane being able to consistently fly the route non-stop.

737 MAX7s have more range and could probably be able to do the route. The problem is that Boeing has failed to deliver any of the hundreds of MAX7s that Southwest has on order.