Achieving success in the airline business is hard, and some carriers simply can’t cut it. Many, however, are either approaching their 100th year in operation or have already hit that milestone.

These older airlines approaching their centennials have obviously had to evolve with the times. And one of the most important ways airlines do that is by keeping an eye on which routes are profitable and which ones are not.

Related: Southwest Airlines cancels hundreds of flights from July to Sept.

Airlines have to cut unprofitable routes when they no longer make business sense. This can happen due to low demand or for other reasons. 

While it is disappointing for consumers whose travel is affected, airlines are in business to make money, and continuing to fly flights that aren’t consistently filled isn’t going to help them do that.

Now, one airline is facing this exact situation. A 96-year-old carrier will be permanently canceling several flights, including one that holds an impressive record as the longest U.S. route.

96-year-old airline makes a major change

The nearly 100-year-old airline that plans to cut this special route is Hawaiian Airlines, based in Honolulu and founded in 1929.

The airline originally operated under the name Inter-Island Airways Ltd., and it explains on its website, “Our founders had a bold vision: to bridge communities across the Hawaiian Islands and usher in a new era of connectivity by air.”

Related: JetBlue cancels all flights to major US airport, offers customer refunds

To fulfill its mission, the airline offers the only nonstop service to Hawaii from many major destinations, including locations within North America, Asia, and the South Pacific. It also provides service to all of the major Hawaiian Islands, according to the Hawaiian Airlines destinations website.

One of those North American destinations is a unique flight to Boston. This Hawaiian Airlines’ flight spans 5,095 miles, which has earned it the honor of being the longest domestic flight within the U.S.

Unfortunately, however, Hawaiian Airlines has now announced that the flight is coming to an end.

Hawaiian Airlines is canceling many flights for good

Hawaiian Airlines has announced that the Boston flight will be canceled for good on November 19. The airline will reach out to already-booked passengers and offer them refunds.

In addition to cutting this long U.S. route, Hawaiian Airlines will also end several other routes, including flights to:

• Seoul, South Korea
• Fukuoka, Japan

The final Fukuoka service is happening on the same day as the final Boston service: November 19. The final service from Seoul Incheon to Honolulu is on November 21.

Why is Hawaiian Airlines permanently canceling its long-haul flights?

Hawaiian Airlines is canceling these long-haul flights for a simple reason. They are not popular routes, and people are not flying on them enough to justify continuing to operate them.

“It’s always a difficult decision to suspend a route, especially in cities like Seoul, which we have enjoyed serving for over 14 years,” said Hawaiian Airlines CEO Joe Sprague. 

“However, despite our team’s best efforts, soft post-pandemic travel demand from Asia, combined with various market challenges, have persisted in Seoul, as well as in Fukuoka and Boston, both of which we entered in 2019.”

What routes will see more Hawaiian Airlines flights?

When Hawaiian ends the flights to Boston, and to other areas getting the ax, it will redeploy the planes to add capacity to more popular destinations, including:

• Sydney, Australia
• Papeete, Tahiti
• Los Angeles
• Seattle

These locations are already being served from Hawaiian Airlines’ Honolulu hub, but travelers will now have more options, since more planes are being redirected to serve these routes.

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“These adjustments will ensure we are meeting strong demand for travel to Hawaiʻi — both internationally and domestically — while providing all our guests access to more destinations,” Sprague explained. 

Hawaiian Airlines is not the only airline that’s adjusting to new travel patterns in the post-pandemic era, and hopefully, these modifications will help the airline maintain strong financials going into its 100th year and beyond.

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Make a free appointment with TheStreet’s Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.