This often-times unused terminal at HNL remains a glaring example of the inefficiencies within Hawaii’s tourism infrastructure.
This often-times unused terminal at HNL remains a glaring example of the inefficiencies within Hawaii’s tourism infrastructure.
Its not rude to say the truth: Same incompetent Hawaii government, different day! Does anyone think a separate authority (bureaucracy) will function better than the DOT or any other agency in Hawaii does? A fools errand to expect more from another unaccountable, unionized, taxpayer funded the State of Hawaii!
I have raised idea to the HDOT to take a lesson from other airports. Portland for example has established a ‘Food Cart Pod’ in the airside past security. The Mauka terminal is perfect for a ‘Food Cart Pod’ .. This concept will promote local kau kau vendors and offer kamaaina and malihini more choices. The dream is to have 10+ food carts offering everything from malasadas, plate lunches, musubi, sushi, pansit, lau lau and cake noodles.
It is insulting to have a mainland donut chain as the only vendor in an empty space. Donuts vs. local malasadas .. HDOT .. think about this more deeply please.
It is also interesting that the vendors in the state’s airports are tied to a mainland concessionaire. Is the HDOT taking the easy way out in their vetting process? or something else?
In summary, we need to promote our local vendors .. we are one “OHANA” and need to proudly showcase this .. the Mauka terminal is the perfect place to do this.
Somebody made out with this $300M+ investment. Follow the money and find out who. If there were any real independent news operations out there employing real investigative journalists (think Woodward and Bernstein or what 60 Minutes used to be like), we’d all know what happened. Alas, the powers that be are likely paying off those who would expose any impropriety. Situation normal in (politically) Hawaii.
The Kahului airport has been being remodeled for years and the remodel is substandard. There installed a thick caret on the floors in the areas that have been completed which make it difficult to roll bags. The restaurants open late in the morning leaving only Starbucks available with always a long line. The escalators are always closed for repair, the people movers only worked for a short time. Maintenance is not there strong suit, new facilities aren’t kept up making old before time. If the Hawaii government is involved it’s going to be a disaster, they hire friends and relatives that are unqualified for their jobs and it show
Aloha,
I like Terminal 1 Mauka Concourse, but I live on the Big Island. When catching flights to the mainland we dock in the A-gates, and it is a very short walk to Mauka concourse. There are several restaurants and Hawaiian Airlines Premier Club in the immediate area. Prior to the new concourse we had to travel all the way to C-gates.
It might be better if the agriculture inspection was done as soon as we enter the new addition. The current boarding process is cumbersome and difficult for many; we get into line by zone number and then get into a slow-moving line to the agriculture x-ray machine for carry-ons, retrieve our bags the meander around to the gate to scan our boarding passes…
The new addition is already built so let’s come up with ideas to best utilize the space. I would like to see a Las Vegas style casino filling the area, it would be great for travelers and all the profits could be used to fix all our state airports.
Mahalo
Big Island
Yikes .. we need to solve the basics first ! Not ready to even consider a casino in the airport. If you want gambling then go to Vegas ..
This terminal certainly looks nice but it’s definitely lacking. I ended up spending a few hours there last fall due to a canceled flight, and it was a terrible experience. We had to hike quite a distance to find any refreshments – the few options in the terminal were already closed.
I appreciate the natural lighting and the fact that it didn’t feel cramped, but it’s not really serving passengers well.
Talked to an architect on the way home,
he said, “It’s the worst airport design he had ever seen.”
Do you think the lack of food options in Terminal 1 could be from the cost of local restaurants to “rent” space from the airport? Much like leases causes some businesses to leave/close or relocate to other less expensive spaces.
Who should be contacted when we have issues such as these, we need to voice our concerns straight to the parties/companies in charge. Something needs to be done.
Hi Patti.
That would be the Hawaii Department of Transportation. That concession is all controlled thru them.
Aloha.
Good day~ I am amazed at the inefficiencies of HNL. When I first came in 1976, it was nice open airport about the right size for the visting population. Fast forward to today, and it has not kept pace. We were taken aback on a return from Australia at how cramped, hot it was with longggg wait times for customs/immigration. The desgin has not been updated since the origin/destination days of the 60s-70s to comfortably handle connecting passengers. I would rather fly from the Bay Area to SEA to get a non-stop to LIH or OGG, rather then connect @ HNL!
There a lot of succesfull airport operators out there that can bring it into the 21st century. I would knock on SFO’s door, as they have a world class airport, carries more passnegers than HNL and is at least 1/2 the termimal & aiport footprint.
Since these terminals are the portals to all the islands for a vast majority of travelers, both tourists and locals, it seems that local residents should be demanding that things improve, if for only a slightly greedy reason of making life better for themselves.
Wonder what difference it will make if/when Alaska takes over?
All aspects of airport infrastructure are very repeatable, whether it’s taxi ways and gates, check-in and baggage drops, security and customs layouts, seating, dining, parking, drop zones etc. So there is no need to re-invent any of these features, just copy success from any of hundreds of airports. Especially if you plan to spend $300 million +
It’s not the features. It’s the people ruining those features at HNL. Sheer incompetence at its best.
Unless a Port Authority is appointed by the Gov. HNL will remain an inadequate albatross around the neck of Hawaii. No useful phase of the airport’s constant remodeling since the early 60s has proven worthwhile.
HDOT needs to drop the airport division and concentrate on the seriously inferior other infrastructure.
Professional management, “YES”; an ‘airport authority’, not necessarily so unless void of political/other influences (reference the rail debacle). Gov. Green, here is an opportunity to make a positive contribution to the tourism industry. A lot of good ideas have already surfaced in how to make this newest terminal a true reflection of Hawaiiana. Hawaiian Airlines too must commit to utilizing this terminal as well as select destination arrivals/departures from and to locations, (e.g., Guam) requiring less stringent international monitoring. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out a cost-effective manner for efficiency in best getting international arrivals through immigration.
It’s as if it was built by folks who had never seen an airport. HNL is absurdly dysfunctional and even worse, nobody seems to care enough to do anything. Perhaps they simply don’t have the competency.
Who needs seats in the terminal when there aren’t any passengers???
Been though T1 Mauka on 2 trips. No shops a d so darn wide.
But it’s a good looking terminal. Perhaps shops will come when the concourse someday gets enough flights for businesses to make money. As it is, no one will invest in a losing operation.
First the rail, than this wasteful mess. Perhaps it’s time to learn the names of specific individuals in charge of this disaster, hold them accountable and fire them. Then hire competent people with lifelong experience running big successful airports and have them fix whatever needs to be fixed and can be fixed.
It’s such a beautiful modern building full of light and great potential. I’m sure there are people who can do better than the current incompetent decision makers. How do we get the ball rolling tomorrow? No more time to waste.
Amen, the same story in the One-Party State, people made $, the Contractor, and those involved in selecting same, with bids or whatever. For years I thought the C Concourse was the worst, being shuttled out there for Red-Eyes back to the Mainland, with little infrastructure as well, put a damper on the return. The Mauka Concourse should have been a no brained, but corruption and Politics are great bedfellows!
My advice to locals, get rid of corrupt politicians. Try something new for a change, and see how much better life gets for the locals.
I avoid Honolulu airport at all possible. Every time I have to go thru HNL I am reminded that nothing has improved for travelers .
Too few food choices ( did get one very good recommendation from a people mover on last trip) but it was not in the terminal where I needed to catch next flight , so to find another ride due to limited walking ability .
Plus the signage for directions poor and not enough locations to know where we are or where we need to go .
Hawaii doesn’t do maintenance. We pour concrete to keep the unions busy. Whether it’s useful or not doesn’t matter.
Everytime we go through that terminal, it boggles the mind! Huge areas of open (unused space) yet when you go to the boarding gate, you feel like you’re in a cattle herd where they attempt to fit 50 people into a space more comfortable for 10! Extraordinary who could possibly have thought that was efficient or even comfortable for the passengers. On our last trip, a passenger was stopped because they were trying to board with way too many bags. They had to stop the entire boarding process because the space was so tight they couldn’t get the woman out of the line to work with her on her baggage! It would have been almost comical had it not been so flagrantly badly designed!
Just used the terminal. The required walking distance is unreasonable. It has so much missed potential.
Aloha,
Our YYC original runway I worked at 1982/99 it’s falling apart..and their getting too it! maybe we need this crew to start and complete HNL in a confidant manner..and timely fashion! ..you know I get it..I was born in ’59 Kailua and ya’ wanna’ know what? I get why we seem lazy to everyone..its bureaucratic bs debacles like this that happen daily the regular Joe gets hit by that wave .. and for me..I’m happy for my bday in a Territory I remember 🌴🌊👣🙏🌺♥️