United's Island Hopper Adventure: 7 Pacific Islands in 15 Hours on a Boeing 737

When it comes to serving remote communities, airlines are sometimes the only means to provide vital resources to these places. One such example is the "Island Hopper", a service by United Airlines from Honolulu to Guam that stops in various Pacific islands.

History

The Island Hopper was launched in 1968 by Air Micronesia, affectionately known as "Air Mike". The service utilized a Boeing 727-100 and Douglas DC-6B. Two Grumman HU-16 Albatross aircraft would fly the Chuuk (TKK) to Pohnpei (PNI) route until the latter's airfield could accommodate a jetliner.

Operating in such remote environments came with some notable modifications to the aircraft. The 727, in particular, had Teflon coating its underbelly as it operated on coral runways. This coating, in addition to special tires, would protect the fuselage from potential damage by rocks as it took off or landed. Furthermore, the planes would carry spare parts, a mechanic, open-water survival gear, and onboard Doppler radar. The aircraft also had more powerful engines to operate on the shorter runways.

Eventually, Air Mike was fully taken over by Continental Airlines and was renamed "Continental Micronesia". The newly-branded carrier continued to use the "Air Mike" callsign. By 1983, the airline was operating all-jet aircraft on the route. These were all-passenger Boeing 727-100 and 727-200s and some 727-100 Combi (mixed passenger and freight) aircraft.

According to William H. Stewart of the Saipan Tribune, the foundation of Air Micronesia was "probably the single most important factor in the future development of what were once remote and isolated islands in the Pacific." The service was vital to various Micronesian islands, serving as their only proper link to the rest of the world and bringing them closer to major Asian markets.

Initially, the Island Hopper had seven stops, one more than the current service. Between 1969 and 1970, the service stopped in Johnston Atoll regularly. Later, in 1993/1994, two of the three weekly Island Hopper runs would skip Johnston Atoll. The Johnston Atoll stop was axed when plans to ship and store chemical munitions on the atoll were made. Eventually, the Boeing 727s flying the Island Hopper service were retired and replaced with Boeing 737NG aircraft, namely the -700 and -800.

In April 1998, the Island Hopper was reduced to twice weekly service on Mondays and Fridays. However, the thrice-weekly service was restored, and the Wednesday service returned in 1999. The route skipped Chuuk (TKK) for roughly six months due to the airport's runway receiving upgrades.

While many were skeptical of the Island Hopper's viability when it started back in 1968, it proved to be very successful. Continental Micronesia was financially successful in 1995, primarily thanks to the Island Hopper. In 2008, the route alone accounted for 30% of Continental Micronesia's business. However, once 2012 rolled around, Continental Airlines merged with United Airlines. Thankfully, this did not spell the end of the Island Hopper, which continued to operate under United.

Present-Day

Today, the Island Hopper operates as flights UA154 (to Guam) and UA155 (to Honolulu). The route goes as follows:

• Honolulu, Hawai'i (HNL) - Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands (MAJ)
• Majuro - Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands (KWA)
• Kwajalein - Kosrae, Micronesia (KSA); only served twice-weekly 
• Kosrae - Pohnpei, Micronesia (PNI)
• Pohnpei - Chuuk, Micronesia (TKK)
• Chuuk - Guam (GUM)

Like the days of Continental Micronesia, the current Island Hoppers operate with a mechanic, an extra set of spare parts, and four pilots on each flight. Furthermore, the front rows of the Economy Class cabin can be collapsed to accommodate stretchers in case of medical evacuation.

Two pilots fly the leg from Honolulu to Majuro while the other two fly the remaining legs. Honolulu to Majuro is the longest segment on the Island Hopper, clocking in at around four hours. Passengers in all classes receive full meal services, unlike flights of similar length in the Continental United States.

However, the rest of the segments are short, not exceeding 90 minutes in flight time. The Honolulu - Guam journey takes 16 hours on the Island Hopper, including time on the ground at each stop. Each stop lasts 35-45 minutes, during which passengers can disembark and reboard, except for the Kwajalein Atoll stop.

Kwajalein is currently an active United States Military base, meaning passengers are prohibited from leaving the aircraft unless they have governmental permission. Furthermore, they cannot take photos or videos of the island. UA154/155 is operated by the Boeing 737-800. Since many of the island runways are short, fire trucks usually wait alongside the runway when the plane lands. This is in case the tires need cooling after some harsh braking action when slowing down.

Like its predecessors on the route, United Airlines rotates a certain number of 737-800s in and out of the Micronesia flights. Usually, a particular aircraft will not operate Micronesia flights for more than two years due to the risk of corrosion. In addition to the Island Hopper, United operates a large number of destinations from Guam with its 737-800s, including Tokyo Narita (NRT), Manila (MNL), and Palau (ROR).