Airport parking filled for holidays

By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Transportation Writer

If you're heading to the airport this holiday season, better pack a little patience.

Taxis, park-and-rides and airport shuttles all have increased in popularity in recent years as ways to get to the airport, operators say.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, all the parking stalls in Ho-nolulu and several Neighbor Island airports were full, for what's believed to be the first time in memory, said DOT spokesman Scott Ishikawa.

In Honolulu, that forced airport officials to ask employees to park elsewhere, freeing up several hundred more spaces for passengers. On Maui and the Big Island, officials opened vacant lots to accommodate the overflow, he said.

Because Christmas and New Year's Day fall on a Saturday this year, officials again expect all airports in the state to be operating near record levels over the next two weekends. The busiest times are between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Ishikawa suggests that passengers who need to park at the airport first try the large structure opposite the overseas terminal or the smaller outdoor lots on either side of it.

The interisland terminal parking area, with 1,787 spaces, tends to fill up quickest, especially on three-day weekends, forcing local travelers to look elsewhere.

"It's a little like going to a shopping center at Christmas," Ishikawa said. "People need to allow enough time to find a parking space and expect to walk a little farther than normal."

If you can't get your favorite nephew or auntie to take you to the airport, officials suggest using one of these alternatives.

Park and ride: Park Air Express offers about 500 parking spaces and a free shuttle service to and from the airport at its Paiea Street lot between the airport and Nimitz Highway.

The company charges $8 per day (compared to $10 per day for on-airport parking) and is open 24 hours a day. Discounts are available for AAA members and through on-line coupons.

"It tends to fill up early on holiday weekends," said company worker Mona Pomele.

A second park-and-ride lot that had operated at the old Costco site in Mapunapuna closed earlier this year.

Airport shuttles: Almost non-existent 10 years ago, these door-to-door services have mushroomed in recent years. There are now more than two dozen listed under airport transportation in the yellow pages of the phone book.

Fares vary depending on the distance traveled and time of day.

"Our business almost triples in the holiday period," said Shirl Newell, owner of the 11-year-old Windward Airport Express, which provides service between the airport and Kailua and Kane'ohe.

"I think people just want to avoid the hassles. I know one customer who missed a flight because she couldn't find a parking space. Others don't want to impose on a friend, especially early in the morning or late at night," Newell said.

Taxis and limousines: Taxi cab business increases sharply in the two weeks before Christmas, with people heading to the mall, parties and the airport, several company dispatchers said.

"If you take the cab, it's just one less thing to worry about," said David Otake, a dispatcher for City Taxi.

Otake said the important thing is to allow extra time to get to the airport, even if you aren't driving. "If you get a traffic jam like the one on Monday, you're going to miss your flight if you didn't start early," he said.

Taxi companies also suggest making reservations whenever possible.

Several limousine companies also say their cars can be hired for as little as two-hour periods; rates begin at about $60 per hour.

Reach Mike Leidemann at 525-5460 or mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com.