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Southwest announces flights to Hawaiian destinations in 2018

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(KGTV) - Southwest Airlines announced plans to begin offering flights to four Hawaiian airports later this year.

The airlines will begin selling tickets sometime in 2018 for flights to Honolulu International Airport, Lihue Airport, Kona International Airport at Keahole, and Kahului Airport.

Southwest didn't say when the flights would begin service to the islands, prices for flights, or from which airports flights would depart from on the U.S. mainland.

A Hawaii-specific page on Southwest's website has since gone live as well.

Southwest is reportedly waiting for federal regulatory approvals as certification is required for flights over long distances of water, multiple outlets reported. Extra pilot training and stringent maintenance and replacement of parts are required for flights making such a trip.

The news comes on the heels of the airlines said ticket sales have dipped in the wake of a fatal accident aboard a Southwest flight earlier this month.