#Kahului Airport

Recent sightings of lasers in and around Kahului and Kapalua Airport were reported and documented in the past week. Pilots landing at the airports have experienced a green laser illuminating their aircraft while on approach to land. Neighborhoods with reported incidents include: Kahului, Kapalua, Kīhei, and Nākālele.

The training will be conducted at the MFD/State of Hawaii Joint Training Facility off Keolani Place near Kahului Airport. The live fire sessions will be held on Nov. 3, 6, 9, 13, 17 and 20, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

A total of 88 transpacific flights were canceled in August, representing 23,083 air seats. The passenger count to Kahului Airport decreased by more than 70% after the wildfires from 7,000 a day to 2,000 a day. The loss from business closures and visitor expenditures is estimated to be $11 million a day on Maui since Aug. 9, 2023.

While West Maui and fire-affected parts of Kula remain no place for visitors — with teams still searching for remains from the Lahaina fire and the recovery in the early stages — the rest of the island was unharmed by the fires but now is reeling from the abrupt loss of tourists that is causing people to lose their jobs and businesses to struggle.

With many travelers leaving West Maui amid the disastrous wildfires first reported on Aug. 8, the overflow of rental vehicles are piling up again around the Kahului Airport. This time around, government leaders are choosing their words carefully to prevent unwanted economic impacts for the rest of the island and the state.

All non-essential travel to West Maui (including Lahaina, Nāpili, Kāʻanapali, and Kapalua) is strongly discouraged through the month of August, Gov. Josh Green said in his latest emergency proclamation.

Blue Hawaiian Helicopters has shifted its operations from tourism to supporting disaster relief efforts in the areas devastated by the wildfires in Lahaina. 

The Hawaii Department of Transportation will be shutting down Kahului Airport Runway 523 to accommodate cargo operations, assisting in airlifting goods and necessities to Maui. 523 is a short runway that will not affect any commercial flights, but will have an impact on the general aviation community. HDOT will prioritize commercial flights.

Residents and visitors are finding safety at emergency shelters set up to help those seeking safety from a wildfire in Lāhainā that has left at least 80 people dead.

While the security line appeared daunting, with more than 300 people in a line that snaked three rows outside and inside like a Disney World ride, it moved efficiently fast.

Hawaiian Airlines is extending its operations today with three additional late-night flights to Honolulu from Kahului to help evacuate travelers affected by brush fires on Maui. The new flights were timed to meet travelers expected to arrive at Kahului via Maui County buses. Flights are scheduled to depart Kahului starting at 11:10 p.m. today through 2 a.m. tomorrow. Hawaiian earlier today added six extra flights between Honolulu and Kahului to accommodate departures out of Maui, as well as support emergency response efforts. Currently, four extra Kahului-Honolulu flights have been added for tomorrow, Aug. 10.  

A mass bus evacuation for visitors will be staged at Sheraton Maui Resort in Kāʻanapali this afternoon and take visitors directly to Kahului Airport. Five County of Maui buses, each with a capacity of 49 people, and five Polynesian Adventure Tours buses, each with a capacity of 50, will provide the transportation, with the first wave of buses scheduled for around 4 p.m.

Update: Kahului Airport (OGG) has reopened after the FAA shut down operations for about 30 minutes because of a nearby brushfire. Five inbound Maui flights had to be diverted to the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

Representatives will answer questions on providing goods and services to car rental agencies, various contracting opportunities, the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) certification process, additional Supplier Diversity certifications, and other benefits for small businesses.

The Senate Ways and Means Committee will visit Maui on Wednesday into Thursday, July 26-27, and Molokaʻi on Thursday and Friday, July 27-28, 2023.

MNMRC’s Digital Takeover of baggage claim screens helps visitors treat Maui County with kindness.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation will receive a $22 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to construct a new Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at Kahului Airport. The OGG project will cost $62.3 million. Work is expected to begin in the summer of 2024 and to be completed by the end of 2025.

Maui District Airports Manager Marvin Moniz said there were several flight cancellations due to the brush fire, resulting in disruptions for approximately 800 passengers.  

Students say the mural was created with the hopes that visitors and residents alike properly treat the land and water with respect and understand its importance.   The ‘ōlelo no’eau (Hawaiian Proverb) that is on the mural reads, “I ola ‘oe, i ola mākou nei”, “My life is dependent on yours; your life is dependent on mine.”  

Nearly $100 million in capital improvement projects and grant-in-aid appropriations were included for Maui Nui in the final version of the state budget that was voted on in conference committee earlier in the week.