Why Hawaiian Airlines’ Popular Juice Beverage Won’t Be Going Away Anytime Soon

POG Juice, which some call ‘sunshine in a glass,’ is here to stay with Hawaiian Airlines
. Many loyal travelers have questioned what might disappear as the airline merges with Alaska Airlines. While the two carriers will continue separately, some of their overlapping routes are starting to see changes. The beloved POG juice is here to stay.

What is POG?

POG, standards for Passion Orange Guava. This tropical drink was created by Mary Soon in 1971, who was working for the Haleakala Dairy in Maui. It quickly sparked popularity across Hawaiian Airlines and became the unofficial signature juice onboard Hawaiian Airlines flights. Meadow Gold Dairy manufactures the official POG product.

Rewinding the clock back to the early 1920s, caps from milk bottles inspired the game of ‘Pogs,’ which was the art of flipping the cap and being the first to get the cream off the inside of the lid. Consequently, by the 1990s, a teacher, Blossom Galbiso, started using the lids of POG juice to flip, and students in Galbiso’s class loved the game so much that the resurgence of the old Pogs game began.

POG even has its mascot, the ‘Poglodyte,’ a fuzzy yellow creature commonly seen with its surfboard. The juice carton depicts Poglodyte and shows scenes of him in a magical village where POG juice is created.

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Small challenges at Hawaiian Airlines

With Alaska Airlines’ recent $1.9 billion acquisition of the Hawaiian carrier, fears were sparked by Hawaiian locals that many of Hawaiian Airlines’ signature features could be absorbed into the Alaska Airlines brand. However, the parent company,

Alaska Air Group
, reassured passengers and investors that the two airlines would continue to operate separately, with the first significant change being that overlapping routes would see minor adjustments to optimize the utilization of aircraft and maximize passenger loads onboard.

Photo: Alaska Airlines

POG juice was one such factor that loyal travelers feared may depart. Joe Sprague, the new Hawaiian Airlines Chief Executive Officer, who will manage the carrier until Hawaiian and Alaska gain one unilateral operating certificate, spoke with Hawaii Public Radio about the merger and how it could save thousands of jobs, given that 7,400 are front-line union workers. Sprague clarified:

“That process will take probably a year or a little longer in order to do that. Then once we’re all on the same system, then we can harmonize everything from airport check-in practices to the technology that customers have on their mobile apps and on the website, and that will also then impact the call centers, or the reservation centers, that customers call when they need assistance with a booking or a change to a reservation, etc.”

While several jobs are set to go due to duplication (around 1,400 staff between the two carriers), the airline is looking at other business areas that can be optimized from the merger, such as the onboard offering. This is what spiked fear for the dissolution of POG, but Sprague reaffirmed that the love for POG has emphasized its need to stay, and passengers’ fondness for it has reassured its continuation with the airline.

Photo: Hawaiian Airlines

Sprague noted:

The relationship with Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines
will continue to bloom over the next several years. Hawaiian Airlines passengers can earn and redeem miles on Alaska Airlines
. The Hawaiian carriers, new programme, Huaka’i, will treat Hawaiian residents a 10% discount quarterly on inter-island services, and include a free checked bag.

While he is new as the CEO at HA, Sprague reaffirmed his dedication and commitment to the flag carrier of Hawaii, noting that the passion and high regard for all employees and their connection with the airline are beautiful. Sprague, who said that he has been interested in aviation since a young age, shared his memories of playing with toy airports as a kid, and his first toy jet was Hawaiian Airlines DC-9
.

Signature drinks onboard

Hawaiian Airlines ‘ signature juice is POG; as clarified, it is firmly here to stay. However, HA isn’t isolated in this case. Many of the world’s largest airlines have their signature drinks and cocktails, making the drinks famous in their own right. Let’s have a look at some of the most iconic below:

• Emirates
  • Champagne Cockatil, a mix of Veuve Cliquot Champagne, and Hennessy X.O cognac. It is mixed with sugar and Angostura Bitters with a maraschino cherry.
• Singapore Airlines
  • Singapore Sling is a gin mix with cherry liqueur, Cointreau, DOM Bénédictine, grenadine, and pineapple juice. It is famous across the Asian country and was inspired by the Raffles Hotel in Singapore.
• Virgin Atlantic
  • Virgin Redhead is a unique mix of prosecco, Aviation Gin, and raspberry liqueur. It is also flavored with sugar syrup, raspberry purée, and lemon juice.

• EVA Air
  • Evergreen Special Aurora is a melon liqueur, vodka, and sprite drink. It can also be made with gin, Cointreau, and green mint liqueur.
• British Airways
  • Buck’s Fizz Kir Royale is a British twist on the traditional mimosa. It consists of two parts champagne and one part orange juice, made with the traditional crème de cassis and topped with champagne.
• Philippine Airlines
  • Signature, a medley of champagne, orange juice, mint, and sugar cane juice.

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

• SAS
  • Scandinavian Forest Spring features High Coast blended whiskey from Sweden and Denmark’s Stauning Rye Danish Whiskey, with pressed apple juice and ginger ale.

While POG juice is served on its own onboard HA flights, it can be made into a delightful POG Punch Hawaiian Cocktail, using a mix of the delectable juice and Malibu to create a tropical treat.

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