By Glenn Scott
Advertiser Staff Writer

Several airlines postponed flights to Seattle today, but all four of the direct flights from Honolulu were expected to depart later today and into the night.

Airlines also are offering to reschedule flights for passengers.

Four direct passenger jet flights were scheduled today from Honolulu to Seattle: two afternoon flights on Hawaiian Airlines and one afternoon and one overnight flight on Northwest Airlines.

Other airlines have connecting service to Seattle.

Hawaiian officials said the company’s two direct flights — initially scheduled for departure at 2:05 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. — have been reschduled to depart after midnight. Flight 22 will leave Honolulu at 12:20 a.m., and flight 24 will depart at 2:40 a.m. delayed until at least 6 p.m., when airline officials hope to know more about conditions at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Passengers with reservations on those flights are asked to call the airline at its normal reservations and information number, 838-1555, soon after 6 p.m. for directions, he said. In addition, the airline said any passengers who want to reschedule reservations for those flights can do so immediately without penalty.

One Hawaiian planeload of passengers from Seattle arrived at 12:32 p.m. today. The plane took off from Seattle at 8:50 a.m., about two hours before the earthquake. Although the passengers and crew are safe, the quake still brings anxieties. Wagner said the airline has been trying to reach the families of the Seattle-based crew to ensure that they’re safe.

Although the Seattle airport was taking only a limited number of arrivals, Northwest spokeswoman Mary Beth Schubert said this afternoon that both of the airline’s two direct flights from Honolulu to Seattle were scheduled to make the trip.

Flight 924 is set to depart from Honolulu at 4 p.m., almost two hours late. Flight 946, an overnight flight, remains on schedule for its 9:45 p.m. departure, she said.

Northwest’s flight 945 from Seattle is expected to arrive in Honolulu at 9:08 p.m., she said.

Schubert also confirmed that the airline has declared a “weather waiver” for passengers traveling with confirmed tickets through Seattle today and tomorrow. She said passengers may reschedule travel to or from Seattle through March 7 without penalties.

All departures have resumed from Seattle, but airline officials said it isn’t certain yet whether Northwest’s two flights tomorrow into Seattle will depart as scheduled.

“We’re recommending that customers do call to reconfirm their departure and arrival times,” said Nani Mahoe, Northwest’s sales director in Honolulu.