HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Crowds filled up Kalakaua Avenue Saturday morning for the Aloha Festivals’ 76th annual Waikiki Hoolaulea.

The Aloha Festivals, first held in 1946, commemorate seven decades of Hawaiian celebrations through music, dance, and traditions.

The parade moved to Waikiki from Ala Moana Beach Park, down Kalakaua Avenue, to Kapiolani Park.

This year’s theme is ʻAʻa I Ka Hula. Each float in the parade is designed to honor the theme.

Hundreds of volunteers were hard at work finishing up the last-minute details for the floats on Friday.

Aloha Festivals is known as the largest Hawaiian cultural celebration in the U.S.

Intricate and vibrant floats with thousands of fresh flowers and plants will be on display with traidtional pa’u riders, marching bands, decorated vehicles and the 2024 Royal Court.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Final preparations underway for ‘colorful’ 76th Annual Aloha Festivals Floral Parade
• Month-long Aloha Festivals to begin this weekend with Royal Court investiture

The floral parade is slated from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The roads will be closed at approximately 8 a.m.

Earlier this year, Aloha Festivals placed in USA Today’s 10 best cultural festivals in the US, alongside Merrie Monarch.

For more information about the parade and other Aloha Festivals festivities, click here.

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Flight attendants for major airlines flying to, from, and within Hawaii—such as Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Southwest, American, and United—are at different stages of addressing compensation issues. Here’s a look at each airline’s current status and what’s ahead as Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines prepare to unite their flight attendant workforces under a single operating certificate.

Hawaiian Airlines.

Before joining forces with Alaska, Hawaiian Airlines has yet to introduce boarding pay for its flight attendants, which covers time spent assisting passengers before takeoff. Despite being a key carrier to, from, and within Hawaii, HA hasn’t taken public steps to implement boarding pay, and their union has not indicated any immediate moves toward achieving this compensation. As industry trends shift, pressure may mount on Hawaiian to reconsider its stance, especially as the integration with Alaska progresses.

Alaska Airlines.

Alaska Airlines (pre-Hawaiian acquisition) flight attendants rejected a contract proposal in August that didn’t include boarding pay. Represented by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), they continue to push for this benefit, aligning with the growing trend for fair compensation.

The rejected three-year deal would have increased pay by 32%, offered retroactive pay, and included highly desired boarding pay. As negotiations continue, Alaska’s flight attendants remain focused on securing improved compensation, especially in light of the impending integration with Hawaiian Airlines.

Southwest Airlines.

Southwest’s flight attendants ratified a new contract earlier this year that included a 22% pay raise but did not feature boarding pay. Despite discussions around this issue during negotiations, Southwest’s focus on shorter domestic routes may have made boarding pay less of a priority. This decision aligns Southwest with other major carriers that don’t compensate flight attendants for boarding time.

American Airlines.

American Airlines recently became the first major unionized airline to secure boarding pay, marking a significant win for its 28,0000 flight attendants. Following a prolonged campaign and a strike authorization, American’s flight attendants will now receive half their regular rate during boarding. This groundbreaking achievement set a new industry standard and re-energized flight attendants across other airlines in pursuing similar compensation.

Delta Air Lines.

Delta made headlines in 2022 by introducing half-pay for boarding, becoming the first U.S. airline to offer this benefit despite not having a unionized flight attendant workforce. This move was seen as an effort to stay competitive and help curb unionization efforts.

Delta’s decision created momentum across the industry, influencing negotiations at American Airlines and encouraging flight attendants at other carriers to pursue similar compensation packages. It’s estimated that, on average, a Delta flight attendant might earn an additional $20 per flight for boarding time.

United Airlines.

United Airlines flight attendants actively demand boarding pay in their ongoing contract negotiations. They have planned a significant “day of action” on October 17 at United’s corporate headquarters in Chicago to protest the stalled talks, reflecting a growing dissatisfaction with the current pay structure. The recently inked deal at American Airlines might add momentum to United flight attendants’ efforts, potentially influencing their ability to secure boarding pay as well.

What’s Next for Hawaii Flight Attendants at Alaska and Hawaiian?

Here’s what their flight attendant union said about the joint labor force as a single carrier:

When they unite as a single carrier, the union representing Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines flight attendants aims to “combine the best from each Flight Attendant Contract in addition to other improvements.”

The tentative joint contract will require approval from all flight attendants in the merged group. This includes negotiating boarding pay, an issue gaining momentum across the industry. With Delta and American Airlines leading the way, pressure is mounting for Hawaii-serving airlines to compensate flight attendants fairly, potentially reshaping industry pay standards.

Do you think Hawaii flight attendants should receive boarding pay?

Sega revealed two videos on Thursday and Friday for Ryu ga Gotoku Studio’s Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (Ryū ga Gotoku 8 Gaiden: Pirates in Hawaii) game. The first video highlights traversal of the three different main areas of the game, and the second video highlights combat.

Sega will release the game worldwide on February 28, 2025. The game will be available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and Steam.

The game will feature Goro Majima as the protagonist, and will take place half a year after Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. The story centers on Goro after he arrives at a beach after losing his memory, and how he comes to lead a band of pirates.

The game will have three main locations: Hawaii, Rich Island, and Madlantis. Players will be able to command a ship and sail to various islands.

Those who pre-order the standard, deluxe, or collector’s edition of the game will get the Ichiban Kasuga Pirate Crew & Special Outfit, which will add Ichiban and his pet crawfish Nancy to the player’s pirate crew, as well as two of Ichiban’s outfits.

The deluxe edition includes a “Legendary Pirate Crew Pack,” a ship customization pack, an outfit pack, and an extra karaoke and CD pack. The collector’s edition includes the same extras as the Deluxe Edition but also adds an acrylic standee, an eye patch, a treasure coin pin, and a pirate flag.

The Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Ryū ga Gotoku 8) adventure role-playing game launched on January 26 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Windows and Steam. The game is a direct sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Sega announced the game in September 2022 as the eighth and newest mainline entry in the Yakuza/Like A Dragon franchise.

Source: Sega‘s YouTube channel