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Hawaiian Airlines has replaced Honolulu-based McNeil Wilson Communications with a mainland firm to do most of its public relations.
Edelman, the world’s largest PR firm with 66 offices, including in New York and San Francisco, took over the contract March 1.
McNeil Wilson had handled the Hawaiian account for more than 15 years.
Hawaiian said the launch of its New York route precipitated the change when the company recognized it needed more support in key mainland markets. Hawaiian began flying to John F. Kennedy International Airport last June.
"McNeil Wilson has been a good partner, and we will continue to work with them on media blitzes and other projects," Hawaiian spokesman Keoni Wagner said.
Hawaiian has either added or announced routes to 10 new destinations since November 2010, with New York the only city that wasn’t an international route.
"We are concerned about the New York flight because it is a new flight and we want to make sure we can sustain it," Hawaii Tourism Authority CEO Mike McCartney said. "The East Coast is very important for us and we want to make sure that flight is successful.
"We want to make sure we have the numbers to support the demand on the flight. We have programs that we put in to support that flight and the Dulles (Washington, D.C.) flight for United."
