We’ve found the reason for the flight delays to Hawaii, which have been happening almost non-stop for the last six months. And unfortunately the news isn’t great.

Yesterday we heard from Hawaiian Airlines which is instructive and launched our investigation. Today we tried to contact the FAA but couldn’t. However, we did contact the Hawaii DOT for Airports and spoke to a retired commercial pilot friend who is based in Honolulu. This post summarizes everything we’ve learned in one place so you know how to plan your flights to Hawaii.

There were 339 more flight delays in Hawaii on Wednesday and Thursday.

We’re risky guessing how many flight delays there have been to Hawaii since this mess began last spring, but the number could well top 30,000 flights at this point.

The FAA only says that in Honolulu, “expect delays of 15 minutes or less. General Departure Delays: Traffic experiences gate hold and taxi delays of 15 minutes or less. General Arrival Delays: Arrival traffic has air delays of 15 minutes or less.”

However, despite what the FAA has said, 15 minutes does not accurately represent the situation as we have been delayed well over 15 minutes on several occasions, which has also been reported in comments by countless readers. There’s a problem with snowballing delays throughout the day pounding flights, particularly the short-haul flights with quick turns between islands.

Information from the Hawaii DOT – Airport Administration Office.

We reached out to the DOT airport manager’s office today and asked about the extent and duration of the airport’s runway closure. We were told that the runway repair is a huge project and there is still no completion date when the airport’s primary runway will reopen. When we asked if it would continue well into 2023, we were told it definitely would.

We have to wonder what DOT was thinking when it decided to do this work now. Wouldn’t it have been better to do it when Hawaii travel didn’t exist during Covid?

Retired pilot John, a friend of Beat of Hawaii, had great insights.

John said the closure of the 8-liter runway is huge for both Hawaiian Airlines and HNL Airport and the other airlines. When asked how much of the airport’s total runway capacity was lost due to the outage, he said it actually accounts for more than 50% as the runways adjacent to the terminal, including 8L, are shared .

He, too, had heard that the runway would be down for some time, maybe a year, and suggested that if Hawaiian does indeed change their flight schedule and possibly delay all inter-island flights by 10 minutes, that would significantly reduce the backup could. Mainland flights, which have a much longer processing time, are less adversely affected by this situation, he said.

We spoke to John about the fact that Hawaiian operates about three times more inter-island flights than competitor Southwest, indicating just how much more Hawaiian Air’s on-time flight performance is being impacted by the outage.

Hawaiian Airlines responds to delays and HNL runway closure.

Hawaiian Airlines representative Alex DaSilva reported, “The recent delays are due to a combination of issues, most notably (as you have noted) the fact that runway 8L at our Honolulu hub has been closed for construction since early October is. The runway closure has resulted in longer gate-to-gate times for our neighboring island flights, particularly in the early hours of the morning. These early delays have usually spread through the rest of the day. We are working to adjust our schedule to reflect the impact of the runway closure going forward and are working with our partners at DOT-A and Air Traffic Control on additional measures to mitigate the impact on our guests. We pride ourselves on being on time and we share our guests’ frustration when a flight is delayed.”

Hawaiian also said that while labor shortages previously contributed to delays, they have since “hired more than 1,350 employees in 2022.

We subsequently reached out to Hawaiian to see if they regularly notify guests of expected delays and will let you know what they say. We have not been informed of our recent flight delays and many of you have said the same thing.

How to avoid hassles when traveling to, from, or through the Honolulu Airport connection.

1. Check on the day of travel FlightAware to see if your flight is on time. Also track the incoming flight and check if it is on time. To do this, use the Where’s My Plane link on FlightAware.

2. Expect delays and be prepared. If you’re not late, that’s great. Please inform us. We value your feedback. And if you’re running late, let us know so we can help others.

3. Keep in mind that the food situation at HNL is bleak at best, which has helped the airport rank at the top of airports in the US. Several airlines flying to and from Hawaii have complained to us about the plight of Hawaii’s airports.

4. Commentator Carolann suggests allowing more time when transferring at HNL. “I always try to have 2 hours before my mainland flight.”

When we wrote about them new and disappointing Honolulu Airport Mauka Concoursewe have noticed and you have confirmed in comments that there are virtually no places to eat nearby and the ones you can walk to in the next terminal are terrible and even then these concessions mostly all close by 5pm.

Have you encountered flight delays on your Hawaii trips?

flight attendant and the cabin crew of major international airlines are getting used to traveling the world and enjoying the lifestyle offered by airlines. A few stops are just enough to get enough rest before flying back to base. Sometimes you can spend a full day or night in the city and have the opportunity to see the sights, shop and eat local foods. Here we look at some flight attendant favorites.

10/10 Zanzibar

Zanzibar in Tanzania is a big favorite with cabin crew Emirates. They call it the most beautiful island in the world. This tropical island in the Indian Ocean is popular for its beautiful beaches and clear turquoise sea. The old town is great for some culture and history. It’s relatively underdeveloped and untouched by tourism, so a great place for the crew to rest and spend time on the beach.

9/10 Buenos Aires

A LATAM The airline’s flight attendant names Buenos Aires, Argentina, as her favorite city. For some of the best food in town, head to the Puerto Madero neighborhood. A boat trip in the Tigre Delta is highly recommended. For relaxation and downtime, the Jardin Japones is the perfect place to recover from another long-haul flight.

8/10 Dublin

This Irish city is particularly popular with flight attendants from the United States. They like the friendliness of the city and the ‘craic’. A stop for a local “Guinness” at the Guinness Storehouse is essential, and a visit to Trinity College, Christ Church Cathedral and Temple Bar gives a real feel for the city.

7/10 maui

Maui, Hawaii is another must-see destination for US flight attendants. They love the perfect weather and beautiful beaches to give themselves a well-deserved break after flights. For the more adventurous crew there are plenty of water sports to partake in. Don’t miss the Haleakala sunrise and sunset.

6/10 Maldives

The beautiful islands of the Maldives are popular Qatar Airways cabin crew and is one of their favorite places to stop over. What’s not to love when you can relax on pristine beaches and swim with the fish in the clear sea?

Photo: Qatar Airways.

5/10 Tokyo

The city is known for its amazing nightlife, shopping and of course, its food. The flight attendants at Finnair love its versatility and that there is so much to see and do no matter which part of the city you explore. The Narita area is best known to the crew for the local crew bars and entertainment, as well as the temple for those looking for something a little quieter.

4/10 London

Finnair crew also loves London, but is extremely popular with Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines cabin crew. Of course, they like to visit all the major attractions such as Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge and St. Paul’s Cathedral. It’s also very popular for shopping, including Regent Street, and of course a visit to Harrods is a must.

3/10 new York

The city that never sleeps and just as good as a very short overnight stopover. Of course, famous landmarks will always be an attraction, especially Times Square, the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. During the day, for many crews, everything revolves around Central Park, shopping and cozy diners.

2/10 Bangkok

Many international cabin crew cite Bangkok as one of their favorite cities. It is overwhelming and stimulates all the senses. There is plenty to see and do in the city including visiting the famous temples and taking a boat or tuk tuk ride to explore them. The markets should not be missing for shopping and of course for great street food. Nightlife can be interesting!

The Lānaʻi Culture & Heritage Center today, as part of its centenary celebrations, presents a new virtual exhibit commemorating plantation life that began when the island was purchased by pineapple pioneer James Dole in 1922.

The exhibition Beyond the Labor: Plantation Life on Lānaʻi is accessible via Virtual Exhibits at LanaiCHC.org.

“Our plantation story was so much more than just work. Lānaʻi plantation residents laid the foundation of our community today and shared a sense of responsibility to each other and to this place,” said Lānaʻi CHC Executive Director Shelly Preza, whose ancestry on the island can be traced back centuries.

After completing her education at O’ahu’s Kamehameha Schools and Harvard University, she returned to Lāna’i to give back to the community she raised. “This exhibition is a way to highlight her vibrant life and honor her important legacy.”

The web exhibit features photos and audio recordings of first-hand accounts never before shared of what will become the world’s largest pineapple plantation. The exhibit consists of photographs from Lānaʻi family collections of community members associated with the plantation period through generations.

When James Dole bought Lānaʻi for $1.1 million in 1922, a new pineapple-driven economic industry began that would span 70 years during which the island became one of the world’s leading manufacturing centers. It resulted in an influx of immigrant families, the first of which were from Japan, and further arrivals from the Philippines, Korea, China, Puerto Rico, and many other cultures that shaped Lānaʻi into the community it is today.

The Culture and Heritage Center offers a glimpse into plantation life that transcends the divide between economic interests and work. It presents a historical account of daily life that was civic, culturally inclusive and joyful. It celebrates the promise of a new life that many immigrants sought and found on the island during those decades.

Clubs provided a sense of belonging and were popular, like the Scouts, which included Sea Scouts in addition to Boys and Girls Scouts. Tennis tournaments, little league, archery and bowling were popular sports that brought the community together along with bon dancing and hula performances. A lifestyle of fishing, diving and hunting was ingrained in the identity of the islanders.

The exhibition offers a broad overview of island life and poignant insights into the cultural identity of a community shaped by a 70-year era. The online exhibition is accessible to the many thousands of residents who no longer live on the island of just 3,000 people.

The Lānaʻi Culture & Heritage Center wishes to expand its archive and welcomes historical or family photos. This exhibition is part of the center’s archival program and ongoing digitization efforts to preserve and protect its history.

Support for this exhibit is provided by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority through the Community Enrichment program.

The Maui Arts & Cultural Center presents a return of the Hawai’i International Film Festival (HIFF) to Maui, presenting three films and a screening of six short films being screened at this year’s main festival at its home base on O’ahu.

All screenings will be held at MACC’s McCoy Studio Theater from Thursday 18th to Saturday 19th November. Tickets go on sale online only Wednesday, October 25 at 10 a.m. on MauiArts.org.

The Maui Selection will showcase films screened at the 39th edition of the HIFF main event, held November 3-13 on O’ahu, and will represent some of the finest filmmakers from across the Asia-Pacific region.

Full of insight and discovery, the HIFF is dedicated to promoting understanding and cultural exchange among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific and North America by presenting films from around the world. Each year, more than 50,000 visitors throughout Hawaii experience the sounds and sights of filmmaking from approximately 45 countries. This cultural exchange, presented through the powerful medium of film, raises awareness of our similarities and differences alike.

Friday, Nov. 18 Film program:

Through the dog door | 7 p.m. | 90 minutes | English

Through the Doggy Door follows the story of Sheldon Paishon, a talented surfer who was born and raised on the rugged shores of O’ahu’s West Side. Far from an idyllic Hawaiian paradise, the community has been ravaged by drugs, poverty and the long aftermath of colonialism. At the age of 12, Sheldon’s parents lost their house and the family was left homeless, living in a tent for the rest of Sheldon’s youth. With a deep urge to overcome all odds and live his dream of surfing professionally, Sheldon struggles through the harsh reality of homelessness. Eventually, he is taken under the wing of popular pro surfer Mason Ho, who recognizes his immense talent and helps guide him through a world he has seen very little of. This film aims to stimulate and inspire a deeper conversation about the realities of homelessness, the fight against poverty in Hawaii, and the importance of confidence and willpower.

Film program Saturday, November 19:

my little country | 2 p.m. | 114 minutes | Japanese, Kurdish, Turkish (English subtitles)

Sarya has lived in Japan since she was five years old. She pretends to be German to her friends, which is easier than telling the truth. In reality, Sarya’s parents are Kurds who traveled to Japan as refugees from Turkey. She is also responsible for her younger siblings while her father works. Despite the difficulties, the future looks bright and soon Sarya will attend college. A tender relationship develops with her colleague Sota and her own feelings come to the fore. All Sarya wants is a normal life. However, when her father’s application for asylum is rejected, she is increasingly torn. A truly haunting film about a young refugee’s balancing act between two others in search of her own world.

My Small Land, the directorial debut of Emma Kawawada, a mentee of acclaimed Japanese author Hirokazu Koreeda (Nobody Knows, Shoplifters), is a nuanced film that explores issues of xenophobia and Japan’s impenetrable immigration laws while telling a heartfelt tale of the highs and Depths of growing up, falling in love and finding yourself.

Mālama ʻĀina Shorts program | 4:30 p.m. | Total running time of 133 minutes | English language

HIFF presents a selection of eco-conscious Hawaiian shorts that focus on protecting the environment right here at home. All of these shorts will also be screened online as part of the Green Screen Shorts Competition program and are eligible for the Deep Blue Environmental Shorts Award presented by the US Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office.

For the one who carries the sea like a malo | 5 Minutes – Directed by Richard Hamasaki

This film is dedicated to the poet Wayne Kaumualii Westlake (1947-1984). In 2009, the University of Hawaii Press published Westlake’s collection of poetry, Westlake, Poems by Wayne Kaumualii Westlake. My poem For He Who Wears the Sea Like a Malo was published in From the Spider Bone Diaries, Poems and Songs (University of Hawaii Press, 2001).

heart of Maui | 7 minutes – Directed by David Ehrenberg

Biologists Erika Kekiwi and Chris Warren work to save rare and endemic forest birds in Haleakalā National Park and show what would be lost if people didn’t act and stop this extinction event. A National Park Service film.

Kumu Niu | 15 minutes – Directed by Alex Cantatore

The island of O’ahu is covered in coconut trees, but for fear of liability, the vast majority of these sacred trees have been stripped of coconuts. The grassroots movement Niu Now is dedicated to restoring ‘niu’ or coconut as a staple food crop in Hawaii and spreading the indigenous wisdom of ‘aloha ‘āina’: loving land and serving people.

Nā Kama Kai – Children of the Ocean | 36 minutes – Directed by Ju Martins

A nonprofit organization’s mission to empower youth through ocean-based education with the goal of cultivating environmental stewardship and building future community leaders. As they travel to Brazil for their first international clinic, participants quickly realize the many ways in which the ocean connects us rather than divides us.

Ola Ka Honua | 22 minutes | 22 minutes – Directed by Jilli Rose

Over the past 25 years, thousands of Maui residents and visitors have volunteered in Auwahi, a storied forest on the leeward side of Haleakalā Volcano. Through their efforts, Auwahi has evolved from a “museum forest,” a handful of centuries-old ancestral trees in a cow pasture, to a vibrant young forest that is home to a critical portion of Hawaii’s biota.

The last rodeo | 33 mins | English, “Olelo Hawaii” – Directed by Liz Barney, Alison Week

As La’i Bertlemann prepares to graduate from high school, she contemplates whether to accept a full scholarship to a major mainland university or stay home in Hawaii to study her culture and spend time with her aging grandfather. As a direct descendant of a long line of paniolo, or Hawaiian cowboys, she has a unique opportunity to continue her family’s legacy, but the mainland has its own attractions. From her last high school rodeo competition to her family’s annual branding day in her ancestral home, The Last Rodeo examines what La’i risks losing if she decides to leave.

The principal presenting sponsor of HIFF 2019 is Halekulani Corporation and principal sponsors are the Hawai’i Tourism Authority, Hawaiian Airlines, Middle Management and Regal Entertainment Group.

The story of everything | 7:30 p.m. | 105 minutes | English

The Story Of Everything, a theatrical performance written and conceived by Hawai’i Poet Laureate Kealoha and now a film produced and directed by the Engaging the Senses Foundation, illuminates the intersection of science, environment, art and mindfulness. The film explores humanity’s rich and varied explanations for the origin of life and presents powerful solutions for the continued health of the planet and all living beings on it.

At a time when we are faced with the knowledge that racism continues to expose people of color to a diminished quality of life and that the world itself is at risk from climate change, a project focuses on light, solutions and the instillation of hope Reason to celebrate. The Story Of Everything brings together poetry, dance, music, art and special effects to condense 13.7 billion years into one hour and 45 minutes, which asks and answers two questions that have challenged people from the start: “Where do we come from? ‘ And more importantly, ‘Where can we go next?’

Featuring Kealoha, Taimane and Kaui Kanakaole. Dancers Jamie Nakama, Jory Horn and Jonathan Clarke Sypert. Music by Taimane, Quadraphonix and Makana. Original artwork by Solomon Enos.

Ticket information:

Tickets for the Maui shows are $12 plus applicable fees and are only available online at MauiArts.org. The MACC Box Office will not be open for window transactions until the day of the show. It is open to inquiries by email only [email protected] and by calling 808-242-7469 Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Windows are open for call acceptance and the day of exhibit sales on Friday, November 18 at 4:30 p.m. and Saturday, November 11 at 4:00 p.m. Open at 11 a.m. Nov. 19

All films are unrated and film titles and showing times are subject to change. For more information on the HIFF and this year’s films, go to https://hiff.org/.

LAHAINA – Lahaina Public Library and North Beach – West Maui Benefit Fund invite you to join local authors Ikaika Hussey and Jackie Palmer Lasky on Saturday, October 22 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Library at 680 Wharf to meet St. in Lahaina.

The authors read from their essays published in the book “Civil Society in West Maui”, a wide-ranging collection of essays summarizing major political controversies that enlivened West Maui’s social and political life.

Hussey, author of “Preservation of West Maui: Sharyn Matin and the Right Front”, provides a political biography of Matin, whose campaign against large-scale development in the North Beach area was the basis for the non-profit West Maui Preservation Association. The details of her activism provide insight into development and governance in West Maui and its relationship to the rule of law.

In her essay “Na Wahine Ho’omau: Councilwomen of West Maui”, Lasky tells the stories of Jo Anne Johnson, Elle Cochran and Tamara Paltin.

Plantation history and the tourism industry have shaped the lives of these distinguished councilwomen, and each is recognized for their tenacity and courage in bringing about positive change for the West Maui District. Its progressive policies consistently prioritize local community and environmental priorities over the financial interests that have dominated the island for centuries.

The author discussions will be followed by a Q&A session and book signing.

This free informative talk story is the fifth in a series focused on community-focused solutions to problems facing West Maui today – water management, traffic congestion, excessive tourism, housing and other problems. For more information, see librarieshawaii.org/events