Six months ahead of its first flights between Auckland and Honolulu, Hawaiian Airlines has announced it will replace the Boeing 767-300ER with its larger, flagship A330-200 aircraft.

Experiencing “strong bookings” ahead of its takeoff on 14 March next year, Hawaiian Airlines said the A330-200 aircraft, seating 30 more passengers than the Boeing 767 per flight would cater to more passengers and meet demand.

“It was always out intention to step up larger aircraft once our services were established and the market was supporting us,” the carrier’s executive vice president Peter Ingram explained.

“We are delighted that six months ahead of our first flight from Auckland ticket sales already are strong enough to justify upgrading to the Airbus A330, which offers 11 per cent more seats than the Boeing 767 and a superior inflight experience.”