Mauians protest Turo taking Kahului Airport public parking; state drafting new restrictions

KAHULUI — Complaints are revving up this holiday season from Maui residents who can’t find spots at Kahului Airport public parking lot due to Turo vehicles.

“Yes, parking is a hassle and, yes, I got a $40 ticket” for parking outside of a stall, said Maui pilot Kim Anderson. “Turo renters shouldn’t be able to park cars in the lot.”

Grammy award-winning Maui artist Kalani Peʻa has been sounding off about Kahului Airport parking in recent weeks.

“There’s hardly any parking for locals especially because construction workers and Turo cars are taking majority of the parking structure,” he wrote on social media.

State Department of Transportation Maui District Airports Manager Marvin Moniz said state officials met Wednesday to discuss language for new legislation that would crack down on businesses operating without a permit or license in state airport public parking lots.

To curb overcrowding over Christmas and New Year holidays, Moniz said airport employee vehicles were moved to the rental car building, freeing up about 500 stalls of the nearly 2,000 spots in the public parking lot.

“We’re pretty confident we will be able to accommodate through New Year’s,” Moniz told Maui Now on Wednesday.

The problem of Turo and other rental vehicles taking public stalls is happening at every state airport except on Kauaʻi, where Turo has an agreement to use a nearby parking lot, according to Moniz.

At Kahului Airport about 200 citations have been issued to Turo operators over the last six months. Citations will continue for Turo vehicles, but enforcement is tricky because “it’s almost like you have to catch them in the act,” Moniz said.

“The parking lot is made for the traveling public — not for people operating one business,” Moniz said. “If you are operating a business out of the parking lot, we are going to get you sooner or later.”

A search of Turo’s online inventory showed more than 100 vehicles that will deliver to Kahului Airport. About a dozen vehicles with lock boxes visible near rear license plates were seen over two parking lanes Wednesday.

Maui Now reached out to Turo for comment and is awaiting reply.