Yesterday your editors flew around the state and experienced two flight delays (Kona to Honolulu and Honolulu to Lihue). Had we not been flying ourselves, we might not have investigated further or found the huge number of delays on Hawaiian Airlines.
According to the flight tracking website FlightAware (as of 3 pm Monday), Honolulu again had the most significant problems yesterday, with a whopping 70 Hawaiian Air flight departures and arrivals delayed. That represented 40% of all of their flights being delayed at HNL yesterday. By contrast, Southwest had 6 flights delayed there, representing 7% of their flights.
The airport in second place for Hawaiian Air delays was Maui. They had 29 flights delayed at Kahului, representing 35% of all of yesterday’s arrivals and departures. That, while at typically more on-time Kona, Hawaiian had 47% of their flights delayed or 20 flights in total. And at also generally more on-time Lihue, Hawaiian suffered 45% of flights delayed, 19 in total. Hilo came in last with 7 HA flights delayed (29% of their total).
What is the cause of incessant delays, and why does Hawaiian seems to be suffering the most?
This has been an ongoing saga, and we honestly have asked but never received a straight answer from the airline about the situation. Yesterday we asked one Hawaiian Airlines employee at the Premier Club at HNL what they thought the cause might be. She offered just one word: “personnel.” We suspect that, at least in part, it is the correct answer. We are open to hearing any suggestions others may proffer.
It’s worth noting that one of the HNL runways is currently undergoing repairs which could be one of multiple issues. Southwest however also has a very robust interisland schedule yet they seem to be impacted far less per the FlightAware data.
Previously, the airline industry delay causes included “airline mismanagement,” according to the pilots’ association. The airlines said it was due to the federal ATC system. The government said that is nonsense.
Hawaiian’s #1 spot in on-time arrivals could be ending.
Hawaiian has long held the enviable position of being the most on-time airline in the US. That is partly because most of their flights operate within the state of Hawaii, with our year-round good weather. Then too, most mainland Hawaiian flights operate to and from the west coast, which also has generally better weather than other parts of the US.
Here in Hawaii, we have become so accustomed to the airline operating on time for decades that we are still somewhat shocked when flights are late, as was the case yesterday.
What about all of the unexpected flight changes? Shouldn’t those have fixed the delays?
Regarding our flights yesterday between the Big Island and Kauai (connecting through HNL), we received four flight change notices from the airline between the time of booking and the actual flights. Originally the flights booked were nonstop in both directions, but those were changed to connecting flights and then the flight times we’re repeatedly changed. Not only that, but at the airport, the airline asked to move us to a different flight for no apparent reason. Until then, our reservation between KOA and LIH had no plane change at HNL, just a brief stop. It seems to have made more sense to have kept us on that flight out of KOA, instead of getting us to HNL earlier, requiring a plane change, only to meet the same flight we were going to be on out of KOA that took us to LIH.
We have had similar issues with flight changes on other airlines recently, including Alaska Airlines, but so far not to this degree. On the other hand, we fly Hawaiian more than other airlines, so if you have experiences you can share, we’d appreciate it.
Too many people traveling? Hardly.
On yesterday’s late afternoon flight from Honolulu to Lihue, there appeared to be a total of about 20 passengers onboard the 128-seat plane.
U.S. DOT isn’t happy.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg previously said, “We are still seeing far, far too many delays and cancellations.” US airlines told DOT that they would be bringing flights into alignment with their resources.
Honolulu flight delays Monday 10/17 (see image from FlightAware below)
- 70 Hawaiian Airlines (40%)
- 6 Mokulele Airlines (6%)
- 6 Southwest Airlines (7%)
- 6 United Airlines (20%)
- 3 Delta Airlines (25%)
- 1 Alaska Airlines (6%)
Maui flight delays Monday 10/17
- 29 Hawaiian Airlines (35%)
- 3 Mokulele Airlines (3%)
- 3 Southwest Airlines (7%)
- 2 Alaska Airlines (12%)
- 1 American Airlines (12%)
Kona flight delays Monday 10/17
- 20 Hawaiian Airlines (47%)
- 2 Delta Airlines (100%)
- 1 Southwest Airlines (5%)
- 1 United Airlines (12%)
Lihue flight delays Monday 10/17
- 19 Hawaiian Airlines (45%)
- 1 American Airlines (25%)
- 1 Southwest Airlines (5%)
Hilo flight delays Monday 10/17
- 7 Hawaiian Airlines 7 (29%)
- 1 Mokulele Airlines (10%)
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
What’s going on with Hawaiian Airlines? Over 90% of Hawaiian Airlines flights to/from Honolulu and Sacramento have been late for months now. Some flights are over 6 hours late.
Suggestions to airlines hire back all the people you fired for not taking a shot not wanting to be forced to take a vaccine just hire them all back problem solved easy fix
Mahalo Julie
All airlines actually let go a minuscule amount of employees because of their vax choice…for instance, I read where the head of United’s pilot union said 7 pilots were let go,,, out of more then 10,000 pilots. I do know locally that Hawaiian has said any of the handful of employees that left can comeback though…there’s a lot of misinformation being spread about airline employees and the vax mandate. It didn’t not cause any of the staffing issues they are experiencing, just like a bunch of American Air pilots did not die from the vaccine (that was being spread)
Asking the staff is research.
How many total flights are there per airline?
Hawaiian’s delays are out of total number of all airlines flights in a day? Or just Hawaiian’s flights?
HA510, slated for 4:45pm at OGG to ITO.
– Delay (service person said construction causing delays HNL)
– Grounded for a service issue: 4:50
– More severe than thought: 5:30
– In fact need a new plane: 6:10
– New plane 7pm
– Wheels up 7:35+
Recently flew Sacramento to HNL through Maui. Tried to check in the day before but HA’s computer glitch only allowed me to print a boarding pass for first leg. Got in line in Sac to check bags and get OGG to HNL boarding passes. Told by HA employee to use self-check kiosk, apparently not understanding that I would still have to go through a second line to check bag. Nonetheless she couldn’t get the kiosk to print the OGG to HNL boarding passes, so 20 minutes of wasted time before heading to the gate. Boarded OGG to HNL Boeing 717 (about 100 passengers) and then to wait 45 minutes at the baggage carousel in HNL (after a 30 minute flight). How incompetent of HA’s IT staff and it’s ground crews.
I flew from HNL-KOA two weeks ago, the flight was delayed by 1 hour, when shortly before departing the gate , the Capt realized the luggage hadn’t been loaded…hello..pre flight check lists…
A 3 and 1/2 hour delay from Kona to Honolulu on the 6:15 a.m. flight Saturday morning Oct. 15th meant missing a connecting Hawaiian flight to Los Angeles and important appointments. E-mail notification was after 11 p.m. the night before. I have to have more dependability from an aiine to remain a repeat customer.
Recently I flew to HNL from KOA for medical reasons. The passengers were rabid carrying on as many huge bags as they could, and I got smashed in the shoulder, head and leg. We missed our departure window for these selfish tourists. HA needs to enforce the bag policy. Come on HA build the bag check price into the ticket as SW does. No Aloha here.
I always fly HAL and honestly would not fly Southwest to and from Hawaii, I have traveled Southwest years ago on the mainland. I recently traveled from Hilo to Long Beach, CA via Maui, and then returned from Long Beach to Hilo via Honolulu. I already had a 4 hour layover in Maui and we were boarding when board was halted, I was sitting there as the maintenance crews came in and out and then the captain asked us to deplane and change gates because of a maintenance issue, we took off nearly 3 hours late and arrived safely. Returning, in Honolulu, I boarded, there was a delay with the 717 of approximately 30 min for a maintenance issue, we arrived safely in Hilo. My point, We arrived Safely! Late yes, but Safely! Thank you HAL!
What do you guys have against Hawaiian Airlines? It’s obvious that you guys have a great distain for the Airline and seem to always want to highlight the issues especially when it comes to a rivalry with Southwest. I don’t know even work the company or have family that does and I’m in a way defending them because you guys don’t do your research and just make statements which creates false pretenses about the airline and how they operate. I’ve had my shares of bad experiences on HAL but they are outweighed by the good experiences. If you want to make a rivalry between HAL and SWA then I’d say if you want to fly safely and ensure you and your family is safe, fly Hawaiian. SWA safety record couldn’t stand up to HAL’s even if they tried.
I agree. I personally prefer Hawaiian.
Kyle, I’m no fan of SWA and they certainly have epitomized the rude newcomer to Hawaii. They really are not in Hawaiians league. That said, I read BOH’s views as fair when they call out issues with HA.They have also pointed out much of what makes HA the best airline serving Hawaii. No airline is perfect and pointing out areas for improvement is not necessarily a bad thing. HA is the oldest airline in the US and should be able to handle constructive criticism. If they have an area needing improvement they need to address it. In this case they need to acknowledge that 8L is closed and they should adjust their schedule a bit.
Kyle, I don’t believe the guys have an ax to grind against HAL. I think they are just pointing out a fact. I think most likely they do like HAL. I do understand that HAL is the largest employer in the state of Hawaii.
That personnel answer, is most likely a good one.
Aloha
HNL has closed 8L for work….this would cause a lot of delays and since HA has far more flights at HNL then any other airline
they would certainly be impacted the most. A 20 minute delay on one inter island flight in the morning can snowball throughout the day for that airplane if it can’t catch up due to 8L being closed. They have always had a tightly scheduled, efficient inter island schedule but I believe 8L is going to be closed for some time. I’m guessing they will need to rework their flight times till HNL is fully operational.
Hawaiian Airlines should consider more direct, nonstop flights to other islands from the mainland to islands such as Maui,and destination like Kona, Lihue from Ontario. The need to bypass HNL if all possible.
The main runway, 8L, is closed for repairs until further notice. This means that planes will take a longer time taxiing out to reef runway, and taxiing to gate after landing. Once a flight is delayed, it tends to snowball.
Interesting, because a similar thing happened on the last leg of my trip Monday 10/17. I was already on board my 1:05PM flight 303 from HNL to LIH when I received a text at 1:57 PM to advise that my flight now departs on 17 October 2022 at 1:50 PM.
Is it possible there’s a computer glitch or lack of staffing like the rest of the World?
Just flew KOA to HNL this morning. 12 -15 minute delay but the captain said us was because there is a runway closed in HNL and they are limiting the amount of flights in.
I was on flight 43 from SJC yesterday and we were delayed for some time because of a medical emergency. Thank God it happened before we took off. HA flight attendants handled it like the pros that they are.
Once the patient and companions deplaned we were on our way and I think the pilots were able to make up most if not all of the time lost in San Jose.
We flew home from Maui to Oakland on Friday the 14th and were delayed 3 hours. In all the years of flying Hawaiian this is the first delay.
We recently flew American from Idaho Falls to Phoenix. Flight was 2.5 hours delayed, and our dinner plans in Phoenix were nuked. The bar at IDA is OK if you like Doritos and IPAs, but I’d rather have the flight be on time.
A week later, we flew Southwest from Phoenix to San Jose. Flight departed on time, and arrived a few minutes early. Dinner plans worked out.
This Thursday, we fly Southwest from San Jose to Kauai (via Maui). All appendages crossed for on-time and uneventful both flight legs. Arrival time LIH 5:30 pm. Supposed to meet friends at Monaco’s at 6. Carry on bags only. Fast walkers. Curbside pick-up. What’s the over-under we make it?
Hi David.
Good luck. Let us know how it goes, and happy travels.
As for food, the HNL interisland terminal food options closed down by 5 pm except for Starbucks and Sting Ray. And those don’t really work.
Aloha.
Good to know, but we are changing planes at OGG, not HNL. And, our 6 pm date is at Monaco’s in Kapa`a, so we won’t be eating at OGG. I just assumed you guys know the place? If not, you ought to try it. Very good Mexican-style sea food, and he gets his fish fresh each afternoon.
We are booked for a weekend in HNL in mid-November. Again SWA. I recall pretty long walk to get out to curbside pick-up from the Intra-island terminal.
Hi David.
Yes we’ve known him for years and much liked the prior more intimate location.
Aloha.
I also preferred the former location – still occupied by Avalon? According to the co-co wireless, Avalon was going to move or open a second location in Kilauea. We’ve not eaten there, but I am told people like it. Kilauea needs a few more options than the Bistro and Bistro Wine.
The main problem with Monaco’s new location is trying to get into and out of the driveway with all the traffic backed-up. Patience needed much.
Speaking of eating at HNL. Anyone know if Lahina Chicken will ever reopen on the “F” concourse?
Tough to even get the C-Stores in the terminal to stock $12 sandwiches.
Hi GW.
Good to hear from you. Yes those that were about $5 pre Covid.
Aloha.
Just landed at OGG 20 minutes early. Do they get credit to offset 20 minutes late on another flight?
Need to kill an hour before boarding for Lihue. Fortunately, Sammy’s has Big Swell on tap.
Hi David.
Welcome back!
Aloha.
Made it to Monaco’s right on time. He makes great fish fajitas. Prices have gone way up since our last visit. I know, that’s trues everywhere, but was really noticeable this evening. they also add a “credit card surcharge” that was nearly 4% I haven’t seen that one before (except at gas stations).
Hi David.
Thanks for the feedback on Monaco’s. We haven’t gone there for a long time, but will try another Kauai restaurant tonight and plan to report back.
Aloha.
Ahhh, the delicious Big Swell! The second IPA I found that I liked a few years ago (on Kauai!); the first was also on Kauai, a Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion. Now that our daughter and son-in-law live on Maui, we’re very fond of all things Maui Brewing. We even have a distributor for it here in Tennessee as if this year! I’ve bought Big Swell and Coconut Hiwa Porter recently in cans, and one of our favorite restaurants has Sunshine Girl on tap 🙌.
Try Hop Island from Honolulu Beer Works. Also, Kauai Brewing (Port Allen with taps around the island) has a number of decent IPAs.
H/T – the Bistro in Kilauea has Happy Hour every day from 3-6 pm with half price beer and wine. Big Swell is $3 a pint. They just changed owners, so hopefully the new guy keeps it going.
What defines a flight delay?
That’s a great question. It’s 15 mins. Have to wonder how many of the flights are substantially delayed vs a short delay of 15-20 mins?
Our flight HNL-LAS was delayed Monday by 1 hour. Pilot first stated he wanted to flight at a higher altitude for a smoother flight and this required a 13 minute delay. 30 minutes later he said they had to load some last minute cargo which would result in an additional 5 minute delay. 3 minutes later he said it would be an additional 20 minute delay due to more cargo needing to be loaded. None of it made any sense to me, but hey, they’re the experts.
Not exactly on topic, but related to airline delays and issues. Departing KOA-LIH on Oct. 9 daughter’s ticket was cancelled unbeknownst to her and SWA could not explain why and could not get her on a flight until the next day. Never got explanation from desk agent or customer service online…..and no compensation for extra hotel night, car or food. Daughters SWA ticket for LIH-SJC for Oct.14 also cancelled for no apparent reason and no notification. Son’s KOA-LIH ticket was honored but baggage was lost. I don’t fly SWA. After their problems I still won’t!
IDK what happened, but we fly SWA a lot these days, and rarely have major problems like an unexplained and ticket/reservation cancelation without notification. Did she buy it on their web site and get her confirmation number? Something very strange about that. The luggage think happens on all airlines. We try to only do carry-on (or gate check).
She had confirmation emails from SWA on both flights. She shared that with check in personnel and with customer service. Never got a cancellation notice. Flight was not cancelled, just her ticket
Something not right with this. Did the they charge her credit card? If so, I would raise a stink. I’ve flown on this airline probably over a hundred times, and never heard of someone’s ticket being mysteriously dissapeared.
Hi Rob+,Jeff. Ok update time. We had the exact same thing happen today on HA flight from Kona-HLN-Lihue. It happened on the last leg. 30 min past boarding time because the plane hadn’t even arrived yet from where it was coming from. We received the email alert at 7pm and we boarded at 6:47pm. We arrived in Lihue at 7:35.
Interesting, because a similar thing happened on the last leg of my trip Monday 10/17. I was already on board my 1:05PM flight 303 from HNL to LIH when I received a text at 1:57 PM to advise that my flight now departs on 17 October 2022 at 1:50 PM.
Is it possible there’s a computer glitch or lack of staffing like the rest of the World?
Aloha,
Have you all noticed that HA 81 (AUS-HNL) seemingly can never leave on-time at its scheduled 9:20 a.m. CT departure time? I often wonder if it is due to the inbound (HNL-AUS) flight the night before is scheduled to arrive less than 12 hours before the next day scheduled departure.
However, having taken this flight personally, it seems to also be a personnel issue as gate agents are often very behind in assigning seats and managing gate upgrades, and the aircraft often doesn’t get towed to the gate from its overnight parking until after the boarding time. I wonder if this is becoming the norm on other mainland-Hawaii flights.
Thanks for the insight —
Will
Hi Will.
We checked back to October 4. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/HAL81/history. The flight has been late into HNL a number of times. Typically the delay is minutes, rather than hours, with about 30 minutes being average. No idea what is going on there.
Aloha.