November 16, 1989 It was a joyful and somewhat controversial inaugural launch of a nonstop flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor to Honolulu. Phoenixbased America West acquired 3 Boeing 747 jets with high hopes of opening up international routes in the Pacific rim through Hawaii.

But that never materialized. In just three short years, Phoenix travelers would lose their direct connection to paradise, and America West would lose their three Boeing 747s.