HNL - Honolulu International Airport

[Jonah K]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

Getting from the interisland terminal to the international terminal may be an easy walk but it sucks if you take United and end up at gate 6 on the far side and you got heavy carry-ons.

Keep the weight of your carry-ons under 25 lbs and make sure that all of it has wheels. If one flies Hawaiian Airlines out of LAX, they often weigh one's carry-on luggage anyway.

I don't mind them knocking some of that concrete out and putting up glass instead, makes it feel brighter and more open. New interior decorating and furniture would make it really nice.

As long as the old furniture doesn't pose a safety hazard, it should be used as long as possible. For folks that want nicer surroundings, they can pay to use one of the "frequent flyer" lounges.

Maybe it would also make sense to have the stores and concessions on the outside before the dreaded security checkpoint? You know, where people who are about to get on a plane can maybe eat/drink/shop with their family or friends before boarding time? Might actually improve sales at the airport too.

I agree. Most airports were designed prior to 9/11 when security wasn't as great of a concern.

On the plus side, at least HNL has automated jetways, unlike Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) which still uses mobile "ramps" to board and deplane passengers....

[Konaguy]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

joshuatree, I have to really chuckle on this thread. About 6 years ago, I wrote a letter to the opinion page of of West Hawaii Today about the poor infrastructure at Ke-ahole (Kona Int'l Airport). Man oh man, I stirred up a firestorm on that one. I had EIGHT negative responses to my letter. Some of the comments were like, "If you want jet ways so bad, move back to the mainland." In short, it really shell shocked me. I didn't bother to write another letter to the editor a for a few years.

[Hellbent]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

i never liked the look of the airport or the capital. compared to other airports, its pretty ugly. if you havent travelled much, heres a thing i googled: top 10 airports according to askmen.com

i dont have an idea of what it should look like, but not_a_concrete_box comes to mind. how about a hugemongous glass pineapple? j/k - we dont even grow pineapple here anymore. a big glass rainbow? might be mistakenly misunderstood and attract teh_gays

didnt i read that the runways here were too short?

[joshuatree]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

Keep the weight of your carry-ons under 25 lbs and make sure that all of it has wheels. If one flies Hawaiian Airlines out of LAX, they often weigh one's carry-on luggage anyway.


As long as the old furniture doesn't pose a safety hazard, it should be used as long as possible. For folks that want nicer surroundings, they can pay to use one of the "frequent flyer" lounges.

Yeah I know, travel light, but you gotta figure there are some that will try to pack all they need on a carry-on and avoid checked luggage. And you got those with little kids.

I dunno, are you saying if you already got 20/30 years out of the furniture, it's not time to get some new ones? I'm not pushing for high end furniture, heck, you can get some Ikea furniture but the point is, the atmosphere won't look so outdated.

[joshuatree]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

joshuatree, I have to really chuckle on this thread. About 6 years ago, I wrote a letter to the opinion page of of West Hawaii Today about the poor infrastructure at Ke-ahole (Kona Int'l Airport). Man oh man, I stirred up a firestorm on that one. I had EIGHT negative responses to my letter. Some of the comments were like, "If you want jet ways so bad, move back to the mainland." In short, it really shell shocked me. I didn't bother to write another letter to the editor a for a few years.

I guess I may have gotten some of that here too. But on the upside, hey, looks like the state will finally put in some jet ways at Kona Airport based on their upgrade plans.

[joshuatree]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

i never liked the look of the airport or the capital. compared to other airports, its pretty ugly. if you havent travelled much, heres a thing i googled: top 10 airports according to askmen.com

i dont have an idea of what it should look like, but not_a_concrete_box comes to mind. how about a hugemongous glass pineapple? j/k - we dont even grow pineapple here anymore. a big glass rainbow? might be mistakenly misunderstood and attract teh_gays

didnt i read that the runways here were too short?

I think all the runways at HNL are more that adequate. In fact, the reef runway is designated as a backup landing site for the space shuttle so I think they gave it plenty of room. On a side note, did you know HNL also has two designated seaways? Who flies seaplanes in this day and age in Hawaii?

As for what HNL can look like? I don't mind a variation of the theme used for the convention center. I actually think that would look like a nice airport terminal.

Speaking of nice looking airports, here are a few I totally dig.

Madrid
Bangkok
Hong Kong

[Konaguy]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

link

"Eleven Hawai'i runways, including two at Honolulu airport, do not yet comply with Federal Aviation Administration safety standards that require "overrun protection" to prevent planes from skidding off runways.

A new report by U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., found more than half of U.S. commercial airports have runways that lack either a 1,000-foot margin at the end of a runway as a safety zone or an "arrestor bed" to slow overrunning aircraft."

[Konaguy]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

I guess I may have gotten some of that here too. But on the upside, hey, looks like the state will finally put in some jet ways at Kona Airport based on their upgrade plans.

In the case of Ke-ahole, some people are very resistant to change. Since Ke-ahole won awards for its unique architecture, some people are very protective of the airport obviously. But it does no benefit to the comfort of the passengers, whom have to deal with no A/C in the lobby, with the elements when boarding the plane.

[arturo_h]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

I think all the runways at HNL are more that adequate.?

Although the Advertiser article says two runways, it's really one, 4L/22R. I think that since the runway has two designations, depending on the air traffic flow, the author believed it was 2 separate runways. If you look at an aerial shot of HNL, the end of 4L or the beginning of 22R doesn’t have the required 1000x500 safety zone. However, since 4L/22R is HNL's smallest runway and only used for General Aviation, the FAA may waive the requirement.

On a side note, did you know HNL also has two designated seaways? Who flies seaplanes in this day and age in Hawaii?

Actually, Island Sea Plane Tours of Hawai'i gives numerous tours of O'ahu and frequent the sea lanes. I listen to Honolulu ATC almost every day and hear them use 4W all the time.

http://www.islandseaplane.com/

[joshuatree]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

Although the Advertiser article says two runways, it's really one, 4L/22R. I think that since the runway has two designations, depending on the air traffic flow, the author believed it was 2 separate runways. If you look at an aerial shot of HNL, the end of 4L or the beginning of 22R doesn’t have the required 1000x500 safety zone. However, since 4L/22R is HNL's smallest runway and only used for General Aviation, the FAA may waive the requirement.



Actually, Island Sea Plane Tours of Hawai'i gives numerous tours of O'ahu and frequent the sea lanes. I listen to Honolulu ATC almost every day and hear them use 4W all the time.

http://www.islandseaplane.com/

Yeah, think the author did count the runway twice based on the two directions. It also says 4L/22R is 400 feet short of meeting the 1000 foot safety zone. But in the graphic, it says an acceptable alternative is to build an EMAS bed so that could be done too.

Wow, that's cool, now I know who uses the seaways.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

Sure, add 5 or 6 more gates, especially ones that can handle the A380,

I donno. At the rate the A380 is going, it's going to be DOA.

[tikiyaki]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

Here's Some reasons to like HNL



http://www.minnhock.com/hawaii2002-h...airport_02.jpg

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...lr%3D%26sa%3DN

[joshuatree]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

Hopefully the 380 won't be DOA, if it is, it means the end of Airbus. I'm not an Airbus fan but I do believe there needs to be a viable competitor to Boeing.

Yep, the garden and the newer glass roofs outside the check-in lobby are the few items that are good about the current state of the airport. But the rest can use some of that treatment too.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

Hopefully the 380 won't be DOA, if it is, it means the end of Airbus. I'm not an Airbus fan but I do believe there needs to be a viable competitor to Boeing.

Can't disagree with any of that, but I follow an aviation forum. Airbus's schedule has slipped, they've upped the number they say they have to sell to break even, and now orders are starting to be canceled (I think it was UPS for the freight version.) Airports are going to bulk over the changes they need to do - wider gates, moving taxiways or clearing them when the A380 is on a neighboring one, and widening the asphalt in many area so the outboard engines don't suck in junk. Add that to wider spacing required in a increasingly congested airspace. Doesn't look good for Airbus.

Although, I'd imagine that Europe will bail them out of it looks like they will go under.

[Konaguy]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

I think in short, Airbus really miscalculated with the A380. With higher energy costs, airlines are looking for more fuel efficient aircraft. Hence why the 787 has proven to be so popular with airlines.

Other Airbus aircraft , most notably the A340, has been hammered by Boeing. Since the Boeing 777 can pretty much fly the same amount of passengers by using two less engines, airlines have been scooping up the 777 too.

Even worse for Airbus is the fact that A380 has stretched their financial flexibility to develop a response to the 787 or 777. It is likely the US will fight any additional European financial assistance to Airbus.