Southwest Airlines introduces Imua One, a Hawaii-themed aircraft livery that represents an ongoing partnership between the Hawaiian Islands and Southwest Airlines, to mark the anniversary of its first inter-island flights within Hawaii. The flamboyant tribute is in honour of Southwest employees as well as the communities throughout Hawaii that warmly welcomed the airliner.
Imua is a revitalizing cry in the Hawaiian language that means an encouraging forward, and it highlights the critical worth of Southwest Cooperation. With their distinctive courage and spirit, the People of Southwest have worked together toward a brighter future for more than five decades.
Imua One’s Tribute
Imua One was created by Osaki Creative Group on Oahu under the direction of Kanaka Maoli/indigenous Hawaiian artist, designer, and researcher Herman Piikea Clark. The unmistakable plan highlights eight components that address Hawaiian social ideas that line up with Southwest qualities.
The aeroplane configuration highlights stars for every one of the five air terminals in Hawaii Southwest serves (Honolulu, Lihue (Kauai), Kahului (Maui), Kona (Island of Hawaii), and Hilo (Island of Hawaii); six paddlers in an outrigger rejuvenate the idea of Imua; also, six turtles in two gatherings of three to address congruity and equilibrium.
Embellished close to the nose of the aeroplane, a lei respects remarkable Islands through their authority blossoms. Intelligent of particular varieties in the Southwest Heart uniform, including strong blue, warm red, and dawn yellow, a slope progressing from blue to yellow addresses the development from night to day and praises Hawaiian history of venturing the Pacific utilizing wind and heeding the direction of the sun, stars, and moon to explore.
In Hawaii and Southwest, the Imua One livery’s eight main visual elements are significant:
- ana (Family): Root in relationships
- Honu (Turtle): Move with perseverance
- Aina (Land): Find common ground
- Ama (Support): Connect to strengthen and balance
- Hoku (Star): Guide with the purpose
- Kai (Ocean): Harness good energy
- Lokahi (Unity): Succeed with Teamwork
- Imua (Forward): Go forward with strength, courage, and a strong spirit
Bob Jordan, President & Chief Executive, said
“When we dedicate an airplane, it’s not only a symbol of gratitude but also of a promise we’ve made.
Hawaii welcomed Southwest with warm aloha, and we approached serving the people of Hawaii with an earnest desire to connect them with important moments, places, and the people who matter most in their lives. We’ve grown since our first arrival on the Islands four years ago, to 90 departures a day, thanks to the support of Island communities. Each flight is filled with—and powered by—an essence of aloha, combined with the Heart of Southwest and our People, all working together and moving forward.”
The Dedication And Unveiling
Southwest launched Imua One at the Long Beach Airport, one of the eight mainland entry points from which it offers nonstop service to the islands. As a result, connecting to airports in the western two-thirds of the US mainland is simple.
Through a live stream, Southwest Representatives across the country watched Kahu Kordell C. L. Kekoa, a Hawaiian church priest, fly an aeroplane as a gift and devotion. Many Southwest Employees and customers had ties to Hawaii’s rich culture and witnessed the event. Imua One was launched in a unique ceremony that brought together Kanaka Maoli/indigenous Hawaiians and Spokane Tribe of Indians members to exchange a blessing. Imua One journeyed from a painting facility in Spokane, Washington, before its first touchdown.
Following a commitment in Long Beach, California, Imua One will first fly to Honolulu, and by the end of the week, it will have visited every airport in Hawaii that Southwest serves. Community members and Southwest workers can take part in the unique homage throughout the trip. Imua One will then rejoin Southwest’s fleet and resume its regularly scheduled operations over the entire Southwest network.
Paving the way to the present commitment, Southwest Workers watched a week after week, eight-section video series, “Respecting the Core of Hawaii,” where Southwest Representatives referred to each other as Cohearts and shared further the individual significance behind the images. The Southwest YouTube Channel presently includes these Representative profiles in the series.
Hawaii-Themed Feature In-Seat Power
The Imua One is the first Southwest aircraft to provide in-seat electricity for each seat. This Boeing 737 MAX 8 has Southwest’s distinctive livery on three occasions. The two 737 MAX 8 aircraft with distinctive paint jobs are The Herbert D. Kelleher, which honours Southwest’s revered Founder, and The Heroine of the Heart, which pays respect to Southwest President Emeritus Colleen C. Barrett. Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Lone Star (Texas), Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Tennessee One (the American flag) are among the other specialised state-specific paint schemes used by the Southwest fleet.
To show its commitment to Hawaii’s longstanding community partners, Southwest also gave $10,000 to eight Island-based organisations. These groups assist issues that are relevant to the Heart of the Southwest and are consistent with the aspects and concepts of Imua One:
- AccesSurf
- Boys & Girls Club Hawaii
- Hoola Na Pua
- Liv. Pregnancy and Women’s Wellness
- National Tropical Botanical Garden
- Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association
- Pacific Whale Foundation
- UH Institute for Astronomy
What do you think of Southwest’s tribute to Hawaii’s anniversary inter-island flights? Let us know in the comments below!
