Lihue Airport is open Thursday despite the Hurricane Lowell aftermath, but departing passengers are being warned that getting through security could take as long as two hours. At 8:40 a.m., the Hawaii Department of Transportation said generator capacity at LIH is affecting TSA screening equipment. It isn’t clear why LIH airport, arguably among the island’s most critical infrastructure, hasn’t seen utility power restored.
The airport remains on generator backup following the storm, and HDOT says canine screening units are being used to help alleviate the problem. This warning applies specifically to departing passengers trying to get through security, not to any airport facility closure.
A friend of ours who went to the airport this morning to drop off a family member told us there is a detour to get to the airport, so plan extra time for that as well.
MyTSA is showing something very different.
We checked MyTSA shortly after HDOT issued its warning, and the app was showing a wait of only 15 minutes at Lihue. That’s a huge difference and a mismatch with the state’s warning that passengers could face waits of up to two hours.
We don’t know what’s causing the discrepancy, but today isn’t a day to use that 15-minute number to decide when to leave for the airport. HDOT’s alert is addressing a specific equipment limitation happening now, while whatever MyTSA is displaying clearly isn’t reflecting the correct picture.
LIH security can back up quickly.
This problem is at the checkpoint, which can normally go from almost empty to crowded in minutes when several departures converge. We’ve experienced that ourselves, including coming uncomfortably close to missing flights even when we thought we’d allowed enough time.
Security and passenger processing were also among the issues discussed when we recently looked at what visitors and residents want fixed at Lihue Airport. Today’s situation is different because emergency backup-power capacity is now affecting screening equipment, adding a new constraint to a part of LIH that can already become congested.
What LIH departing passengers should do today.
HDOT has not said how long the generator limitation will continue or when the warning is expected to be lifted. Anyone flying out of Kauai today should allow considerably more time than usual and check their flight directly with the airline before heading to LIH.
If you’re flying out of Lihue today, please share your experience with wait times, security, and the canine teams.
Lead Photo: © Beat of Hawaii at Lihue Airport gate on a prior trip.
By Rob and Jeff, Beat of Hawaii.
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