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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, July 23, 2009

Airport upgrades under way


By Robbie Dingeman

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Construction continues on a new international arrivals corridor at Honolulu International Airport. The corridor, on the third level of the 'ewa Concourse, will provide an easy, secure route to the Federal Inspection Services area.

Images from the state Department of Transportation

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

This is an artist's rendering of what the international arrivals corridor will look like. The third-level project will be an enclosed air-conditioned passageway. Currently, travelers either walk in open air or catch the Wiki Wiki Bus shuttles.

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

The new airport parking structure is between the interisland and overseas terminals, and adds about 1,800 parking stalls. The structure opened in February.

BRUCE ASATO | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Travelers should expect a few changes at Honolulu International Airport soon, including some shifting of check-in counters and other services because of the merger of Delta and Northwest airlines in October.

Delta officials recently notified travel agents that by Tuesday — July 28 — all Northwest check-in positions at Honolulu Airport will be consolidated with Delta's, closing the old Northwest counters. Signs and airport staff will remind travelers of the change.

But travelers might want to give themselves some extra time to smoothly get where they need to be because Northwest is on the diamondhead side of the main terminal and Delta is on the 'ewa side. Airline officials and travel agents worry that Northwest Airlines ticketed passengers who are not aware of the change may go to the far end and get delayed.

In addition, the members-only Northwest WorldClub at Honolulu airport will be renamed Delta Sky Club and will move to a new location in the Garden Area.

Airlines continue to encourage passengers to check in online to speed their travel, and even print out boarding passes at home or the office. Some airlines offer discounts on baggage fees to those who pay online.

Travelers this year got some parking relief. State Department of Transportation spokeswoman Tammy Mori said parking is a bit easier now with the new 1,800-stall structure.

The structure, between the interisland and overseas terminals, opened in February.

This new eight-story parking garage is connected to the sixth floor of the interisland terminal garage by a bridge that carries two lanes of traffic, Mori said. And, she said, some travelers aren't aware of that connection.

There is also a moving sidewalk on the fifth floor of the interisland terminal that connects to the new parking structure, which takes the number of parking stalls from about 4,500 to about 6,300.

Later this year, Mori said international travelers will be able to enjoy the long-awaited — and air-conditioned — international arrivals corridor.

The first phase of the $36.1 million walkway will open to the public this fall, and will provide access from the 'ewa gates to the International Arrivals building.

She said the new air-conditioned corridor will be "a great added convenience for our international visitors and for our kama'aina traveling overseas."

That corridor will allow international arrival passengers who deplane from gates 26-34 in the 'Ewa Concourse — where 80 percent of international passengers arrive — to walk to the Federal Inspection Station in the 'ewa extension of the Overseas Terminal.

Currently, travelers either walk in open air or catch the Wiki Wiki Bus shuttles.

Many of these changes are part of the 12-year, $2.3 billion plan to upgrade the state's airports.