The most popular concept of a lei in Hawaiian culture is a wreath of flowers presented upon arriving or leaving as a symbol of affection. This concept was popularized through tourism between the Hawaiian Islands and the continental United States in the 19th and 20th centuries.
An orchid lei was initially added to the tails of the airline’s 10 first ETOPS-certified 737-800s in late 2007 to celebrate the launch of services to Hawaii. The move proved to be popular and more aircraft have had the lei added since. N538AS with an orchid lei on its tail was actually the very last aircraft in the original 90s "icicle" livery in April 2022 when it was finally repainted in the 2016 scheme.
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