The latest round of storms bringing heavy rain to the Islands has so far had little impact on local airline operations.
"Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines are closely monitoring and assessing weather conditions," a spokesperson for the airlines told Aloha State Daily in an email. "As of 2 p.m., we have canceled six roundtrip Neighbor Island flights and remain focused on supporting our employees who live in the affected areas.
"We are continuing to evaluate our schedule and will notify guests of any changes to their flight," the spokesperson continued. "We encourage guests to regularly check their flight status and to check in online before arriving at the airport to save time. Guests should also monitor app push notifications for real-time updates."
Hawaiian Airlines is the state's largest airline.
In an announcement Friday, the Hawai`i Visitors & Convention Bureau offered this guidance to travelers currently in the state:
- Flash flooding is possible even during moderate rainfall due to saturated grounds. Never drive through flowing or rising water, including streams and drainage ditches that may appear dry.
- Travelers should wait 48 to 72 hours after rain stops before swimming, particularly where ocean water appears brown or murky.
- Some state parks and facilities remain temporarily closed while safety assessments and cleanup continue. Visit dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp for reopening information.
- There were no weather-related closures of airport facilities when the announcement was sent around 12:30 p.m. Allow extra time at the airport — at least 3 hours for transpacific flights and 90 minutes for interisland.
And for those with upcoming trips, HVCB says there's no reason to cancel or postpone travel.
"The state remains safe and welcoming, and conditions are expected to improve early next week," the announcement notes.
Travelers, though, should ensure their airline has a current mobile number on file and enable app and SMS notifications, as well as confirm flight statuses directly with the airline before departing for the airport.
Unrelated to the stormy weather, the state Department of Transportation on Friday confirmed that all airports in Hawai‘i are being staffed and will remain open and operational, despite some national reports that small airports nationwide may close or pause operations due to the partial shutdown of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and funding of the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA.
“All of our airports, including our smaller airports on the Neighbor Islands, are vital transportation links for our residents and visitors and they will remain open to serve the traveling public,” said DOT Director Ed Sniffen in a statement. “HDOT is in close communication with our federal partners impacted by the partial shutdown and we want to thank them for keeping our airports staffed and ensuring they remain operational, while minimizing disruptions to travelers. We appreciate the commitment of our dedicated federal workers and their families, who are again facing uncertainty due to the partial shutdown. We will continue to support these individuals who we work closely with on a daily basis, so they can continue to provide critical service to air travelers.”
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
