A morning flight diversion on February 5 left Hawaiian Airlines’ passengers heading from Honolulu to Las Vegas right back where they had started. It was not their lucky day. They missed reaching the halfway mark to the mainland by just minutes, which would have guaranteed a landing somewhere closer to Las Vegas rather than returning.
The flight that diverted was on aircraft N383HA, a 12-year-old plane. Hat tip to Joe A. for letting us know about this morning’s diversion.
Hawaiian Airlines A330-200, departed Honolulu just 11 minutes late at 8:01 am. While it was due to arrive in Las Vegas at 3:35 pm, the plane landed back in Honolulu instead.
The flight was in the air for 2 hours before turning back, making the total flight duration 3 hours and 59 minutes. Subsequently, the flight was canceled and did not continue to Las Vegas. That meant the aircraft’s return flight from Las Vegas to Honolulu, HA5, was also canceled because it was using the same plane that diverted.
If you were on this morning’s flight or know the reason for the diversion, we’d appreciate hearing from you. And now, here’s more news from HNL if you’re flying in or out this week.
Repair at Honolulu Airport to temporarily close the runway.
In a press release, the Hawaii DOT said it will “temporarily close Runway 8R/26L at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) on Wednesday, February 7, from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for taxiway and runway repairs…The closure will allow crews to conduct landscaping along the runway and other work.”
To our knowledge, the work resulting in the closure was not previously planned or announced. DOT said operations would continue and that it had coordinated with airlines and others to minimize the impact of the closure.
Since the work is weather permitting, the impact could be felt at a different date and time than DOT has planned.
Other runway problems from two months ago.
It was just two months ago that the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) unexpectedly announced the diversion of all aircraft arriving and departing at Honolulu International Airport (HNL) from Runway 8L to Runway 26L due to the discovery of spalling on the former runway’s landing area. That redirection caused delays for interisland flights as capacity during peak hours was reduced.
The cause of that runway problem was linked to a recent repair on Runway 8L, completed from October 2022 to May 2023. It was stated that weather or other issues may have caused the early demise of the newly installed concrete.
Lead image: flightaware.com
any plane, flights cancels or delays, etc for any reason should be a mandatory refunded in full from the airlines no questions asked.
Hi Dee,
I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when AA refunded over $250 to my CC to compensate for having missed my Biz class connector flight and finishing the trip in Econ (which I didn’t mind at all – it was only an hour if you subtract the near hour we spent stalled on the apron :D).
Best Regards
Hawaiian airlines needs better maintenance and local! If the Alaska deal doesn’t go through they will go out of business.
It was not like this before 1979. It is sad but now dangerously clear that airline deregulation has failed catastrophically. The CAB must be resurrected with a new directive charter to regulate in the current day and age. The current operational conditions are intolerable.
“landscaping” during the middle of the day on a vital runway! Please tell me again why Ed Sniffen (Hawaii Director of Transportation) has a job! Or is he just another example of a high ranking state official failing miserably at our expense. This may come across as rude, but there is no Aloha in wasting our hard earned tax dollars like this! Same incomptetnt state bureacrats, different day. Very unfortunate.
Ed Sniffen? It was the responsibility of his predecessor. When these “Trees” were shrubs they should have been taken care of, but Noooo! Out of sight, out of mind. Now, it’s like a forest on the side of 08R. I knew this was going to happen. No general maintenance like cutting the shrubs until they’re Trees!
Something was going on at AA’s DFW hub Thu. Our aircraft (Flight 115 coming in Flight 114 outbound) was delayed 3 hrs at DFW (supposedly for maintenance issues). Supposed to leave @7pm after multiple delays finally left ~10:30 – Most folks were missing connects at DFW. I was put on a late afternoon flt to my destination even though 4 earlier ones were available.
We got in ~ 3 hours late. I was able to get changed to an earlier flight in an econ seat (I was in Biz). Just wanted to get home! That one was delayed 45 min on the tarmac. Had to cough up another $200 to stay in the destination city (Holiday Inn) – late afternoon arrival and too tired for a 2 hour drive home. Noticed literally Every AA flight was delayed walking to my gate.
This looks familiar. Much like putting fear in people; much like covid and climate change, controlling choices.
“Fear of flying” takes on new meaning. Unsafe aircraft. Diverted aircraft. Unsafe runways, etc.
People will choose to stay home. Bit of more control, aye?
🇺🇸 I choose freedom.
Aloha,
Sharon
🌺 🌺 🌺
We recently returned on Hawaiian flt. #17 from vegas to Honolulu. There was a 2 hour delay, no reason stated. Overheard someone say that they were checking the fuel level sensors because they did not know if the plane was full or not. Troubles continue. The passengers should at least be advised what caused the cancelation or delays.
I live in Las Vegas and what follows is pure speculation. The flight diversion may have been due to poor weather conditions. But the most likely cause was the Air Force One take off and landing schedule.
ETOPS operations, that is point of flight turnback, is based on flight time to nearest suitable airport. For Hawaii flights to Las Vegas, the crew would calculate the point of continued flight to either LAX or SFO, not LAS, as the alternate airport for landing, assuming the reason for the emergency is not resolved.