Cautious optimism about 2017

Liwei Kimura, regional director and chief representative of Greater China for Hawaiian Airlines Inc.

A1 We're very optimistic about China in 2017. In spite of the slowdown that has characterized recent years under the "new normal", Chinese travelers are traveling in record numbers. This growth can be attributed to China's urban middle class, whose ranks are predicted to continue to grow over the coming years.

Hawaii and Hawaiian Airlines have benefited from this trend and we're optimistic that it will continue. Visitor arrival numbers compiled by the Hawaii Tourism Authority suggest that our Beijing to Honolulu route has contributed significantly in recent years to a sharp rise in the number of Chinese tourists traveling to Hawaii.

A2 We operate an impeccably-maintained, modern fleet of aircraft perfectly suited to the needs of the 21st Century traveler. Our Beijing-Honolulu route, for example, is operated by the stylish and fuel-efficient Airbus A330 fleet.

From the eye-catching Hawaiian-inspired designs of our plane fuselages to the exquisite, island-inspired fusion cuisine available on all flights, we are constantly innovating to keep our brand fresh and maintain our position as China's carrier of choice for flights to Hawaii.

A3 We've maintained healthy sustainable growth in China over the past few years. We're very satisfied with our performance and have achieved the load factor target we set. Chinese consumers have provided very positive feedback and continue to use our airline in record numbers. We also work closely with agency partners who always tell us how popular our flights are with them.

We are pleased with our investment, and happy to report that, based on data collected earlier this year, we have flown more than 100,000 passengers on over 600 flights since launching the service.

A4 Every international company operating in China has to contend with the same issues. We are committed to providing our customers with the best products and levels of service possible. This will not change in 2017.

A5 We are pleased with our investment, and happy to report that we have flown more than 100,000 guests on over 600 flights since launching the service based on data collected in early 2016. Greater China is an important market for us and somewhere we are keen to increase our focus.