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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 12:15 p.m., Friday, August 11, 2006

Travelers adapting quickly to changes



By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Staff Writer


Passenger lines are moving quickly through the interisland terminal of Honolulu International Airport today as travelers and airline officials adapt to increased security following the foiled London bombing plot.

There were no long lines snaking out of the interisland terminal or overseas terminal buildings this morning — in contrast to yesterday when many travelers arrived at the airport unaware of stepped up security procedures.

Chester Kanehira, 59, of Kaimuki, showed up three hours ahead of his scheduled flight to Sacramento, Calif. to visit his daughter and family, but wound his way through the agricultural inspection and two checkpoints within an hour.

"I was surprised how smooth its been going," Kanehira said. "I thought the lines were going to be moving slow."

The Crowther family of San Jose, Calif. knew about the increased security from news accounts and from fliers that were posted and distributed by their hotel, the ResortQuest Waikiki Sunset.

"The hotel was real good," Rose Crowther said. "They posted notices in the elevators and gave us fliers when we checked out."

Authorities believe the terrorist plot was based on the use of liquid explosives that were to be carried aboard the aircraft in carry-on bags. That led to a decision by U.S. Homeland Security officials late Wednesday to ban virtually all liquids from being carried onto flights departing from U.S. airports.

At Honolulu International Airport, Fridays are crunch times at the interisland terminal because many local residents head to the Neighbor Islands for three-day weekends, said Scott Ishikawa, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, noting that so far passenger traffic is moving smoothly.

Yesterday, though, some of the travelers appeared to be unaware of the new restrictions leading to long lines at airport security screening areas, Ishikawa said.

"We got the word kind of late Wednesday night, so not everyone was aware of the new restrictions," Ishikawa said. But due to the extensive media coverage, he said, most people arriving at the airport today appear to know what not to carry with them.

"It's beneficial for them not to arrive at the security checkpoints with the contraband and it's beneficial for us because we can keep the lines moving," Ishikawa said. "We don't want people to get to the checkpoints only to have to throw away their lotions, their expensive perfumes or their gift items."