Hawaii earthquake – the travel aftermath
Brace yourself for the possibility of significant delays if you’re traveling to or from the Hawaiian Islands - this in the wake of the weekend’s 6.6 earthquake that shook paradise.
At one point, power to 95 percent of Oahu, the state’s most populated island, was out. That meant the Transportation Security Administration had to hand-screen departing passengers at Honolulu International Airport (HNL).
One major player to the Islands, United Airlines, cancelled 11 flights to and from Hawaii on Sunday. The carrier has eased restrictions for passengers flying to and from the islands through October 18, waiving, among other things, change fees. Travelers whose flights have already been cancelled are eligible for full refunds.
Aloha Airlines' transpacific and interisland flights are operating, although it sure wouldn’t hurt to check with the airline to determine if, and by how much, your flight has been delayed.
Another way to find out which flights have been axed, which are delayed, and which are on-time is to go to FlightStats. A check with the Web site this morning, for example, showed that a Qantas flight from Honolulu (HNL) to Sydney (SYD) was delayed by more than four hours, and an Air Pacific flight from HNL to Nadi, Fiji (NAN) was delayed by more than five hours. Other flights faced far less onerous delays if any.
Once in the Islands, ground passage could prove tricky. Although no one was reported killed in the quake, there are reports that a number of roads are blocked by rockslides.
The best news for Hawaii residents – no tsunami.
© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler