Stranded passengers try to go with flow
| • | Maui airport evacuated |
| • | New barriers installed at Honolulu airport to prevent similar breach |
By Christie Wilson and Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui Bureau
KAHULUI, Maui — Except for all the luggage, the scene at War Memorial Gym resembled a huge picnic yesterday.
Timothy Hurley • The Honolulu Advertiser Christie Wilson • The Honolulu Advertiser
Stranded passengers stretched out on the lawn in front of the gym or sat under large shade trees. A few shot baskets inside the gym. The American Red Cross served Costco pizza and drinks, and Nancy Lee and Nino Toscano provided live music courtesy of the Maui Visitors Bureau.
Acting Maui police Lt. Jamie Becraft explains to passengers why Kahului Airport is closed.
Stranded passengers Mark and Stephanie Minister of Boston try to make arrangements on the phone while waiting at War Memorial Gym.
The duo normally perform at the upstairs departure area at Kahului Airport from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays and were told to report to the gym instead to soothe impatient passengers.
Large tour buses pulled up to disgorge dozens of passengers who had just arrived on Mainland flights. Dazed visitors were given a lei greeting and were quickly transferred to other ground transportation to get them to their hotels.
Gary and Cindy Lake of San Diego said that just before they landed on the afternoon United flight, they were told about the airport incident by the flight crew. The Lakes said no one appeared to be alarmed by the news, and that the experience would not affect their vacation. "It's just an inconvenience," Cindy Lake said.
Honeymooners Rusty Davis-Clem, 41, and Mark Clem, 40, were supposed to fly out on a 2:45 p.m. flight to San Francisco after celebrating their honeymoon on Maui with their 5-year-old daughter and other family members. The couple, who has been together 17 years, married Feb. 12 in San Francisco.
"It could be worse — we could be in Alaska. Instead we're in Maui," said Davis-Clem, sitting with his shirt off in a car at the War Memorial Gym parking lot.
They heard about the airport closure on TV while at the Napili condo where they were staying, but called the airline and were told the problem would be resolved in time for their afternoon flight. Then they were told the flight was canceled.
They decided to drive to Kahului anyway and were turned away at the airport.
Like many of the stranded travelers, the two men said they weren't too upset about the incident. "It's a little disconcerting with everything going on to think a guy could just drive into the terminal and set his car on fire," Davis-Clem said.
Clem wondered why the airport didn't have concrete planters or other barriers to prevent vehicles from entering the terminal.
It was a lousy weekend for the 12-member Kapa'a High School swim team and their escorts, who were unable to make their morning flight home to Kaua'i. They had trouble with their rental car when they arrived, the state high school swimming and diving championships were postponed a day because of weather, rain limited activities, and they were running out of money.
Coach Jeremy Haupt said they were unloading from a Dollar Rent A Car shuttle at the departure area when they saw the car on fire inside the terminal. He said there was no panic. "We were mostly excited. It's been a pretty boring weekend," Haupt said.
The road leading to the airport was jammed with cars, but police were turning people away. Some parked nearby and waited within walking distance of the terminal.
Some passengers were upset about the lack of information.
"It's the biggest mismanaged incident in history. It's a disaster," said New York City resident John Piro, who was scheduled to fly home at 3 p.m.
Others were taking it in stride.
"It's all about patience," said James Kino, a Maui firefighter who was hoping to fly to Honolulu to visit his mother. "I'm just glad I'm stuck here and not on the Mainland."
Aleta Stiers of Ashland, Ore., was waiting by her rental car near the airport.
"You have to go with the flow," she said. "There's a lot of bigger things to get upset about. Look at this beautiful sky. You can't be too upset."
Reach Timothy Hurley at thurley@honoluluadvertiser.com. Reach Christie Wilson at cwilson@honoluluadvertiser.com. Both may be reached at (808) 244-4880.
