After Tuesday’s tsunami alert, reports spread about thousands of airline passengers stranded at state airports, including roughly 2,000 at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
These reports painted a picture of confusion: travelers left in the dark, unsure if they were safe from potential tsunami waves and no clear communication by airport operators.
In search of answers, Aloha State Daily reached out to the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation and HDOT Director Ed Sniffen with these questions:
- What information about the emergency, if any, did HDOT attempt to convey to airport passengers
- Who at the airport was responsible for disseminating that information?
- Were state workers at the airport evacuated? How many and when?
- Did any state workers remain to assist travelers?
On Friday, Hawai‘i Department of Transportation public information officer Shelly Kunishige told Aloha State Daily that the department "provided regular updates via our social media platforms on the status of airport operations," in addition to hourly updates provided by Gov. Josh Green and the state Joint Information Center.
"Aside from the Hilo International Airport which suspended commercial operations around 3:15 p.m. to facilitate evacuations from Keaukaha, all other Hawai‘i airports remained in operation and airport staff remained on duty," Kunishige said via email "Individual airlines kept passengers informed of their flight status. At the Kahului Airport, which is in an inundation zone, airport staff instructed and directed travelers and anyone else at the airport to move from the lower level to the second floor."
Meanwhile, food service provider HMSHost kept concessions open for travelers throughout the incident, she said
Baggage screening at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport was temporarily suspended around the projected time of the first wave impact, and resumed at around 10:45 p.m., when flights restarted.
Airport engineers and baseyard staff also worked to move construction equipment from areas in inundation zones.
All told, approximately 2,000 passengers spent the night at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, while about 1,500 stayed at Kahului Airport and Kona International Airport each.
