HNL - Honolulu International Airport

[joshuatree]

Just a random thought, but what do folks here think about HNL airport? I think I saw a news article couple months back about the state planning to upgrade it by adding more gates. But I think they should re-do the entire complex. It looks like something stuck in the 70s with all that massive concrete and lack of AC. Seen some airports of other countries lately and boy are they eons ahead.

[Miulang]

Re: Hnl

Just a random thought, but what do folks here think about HNL airport? I think I saw a news article couple months back about the state planning to upgrade it by adding more gates. But I think they should re-do the entire complex. It looks like something stuck in the 70s with all that massive concrete and lack of AC. Seen some airports of other countries lately and boy are they eons ahead.

Got a question for you, Josh: do you think it's more important to have a world class airport that caters primarily to tourists, or to set aside more money to beef up overtaxed infrastructure that would benefit the taxpayers? When it comes to allocation of scarce resources (i.e., money), where would you prefer to have your tax dollars go?

Miulang

[blueyecicle]

Re: Hnl

Why does it need AC? I mean seriosuly. It's all open and it does not hit 100 degrees.

[joshuatree]

Re: Hnl

Miulang - As far as I understand, the money for airports come from federal funds and airport landing fees. So I'm not promoting diverting funds for the sake of a world class airport. The state's already planning on the upgrades as is, so my question is, should they build more gates or focus more on bringing the airport up to standards?

PS - Left this out, but considering that tourism is a major economic foundation for the state, having somewhat a world class airport is an important issue too.

Blueyecicle - Was thinking more of the humidity, especially when you have large crowds gathered together.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: Hnl

all things considered, HNL is a great airport for inter-isle, national and intl travel. It doesn't take long to get to any particular gate and as for the humidity factor....welcome to Hawai'i.

[joshuatree]

Re: Hnl

Here it is, the article I ran across a while back.

http://starbulletin.com/2006/03/25/news/story05.html

And this illustration too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:H...ernization.PNG

[Jonah K]

Re: Hnl

Just a random thought, but what do folks here think about HNL airport? I think I saw a news article couple months back about the state planning to upgrade it by adding more gates. But I think they should re-do the entire complex. It looks like something stuck in the 70s with all that massive concrete and lack of AC. Seen some airports of other countries lately and boy are they eons ahead.

The Honolulu International Airport has AC.

[tikiyaki]

Re: Hnl

Just a random thought, but what do folks here think about HNL airport? I think I saw a news article couple months back about the state planning to upgrade it by adding more gates. But I think they should re-do the entire complex. It looks like something stuck in the 70s with all that massive concrete and lack of AC. Seen some airports of other countries lately and boy are they eons ahead.

That's exactly what I liked about it...well, on a hot day, AC is nice, but the 70's part is just fine with me. The 70's were awesome, and 1950's and 60's architecture is, to me, the finest period of architecture. I like the feeling of stepping back in time that I got when I was there. I hope they never change it.

all things considered, HNL is a great airport for inter-isle, national and intl travel. It doesn't take long to get to any particular gate and as for the humidity factor....welcome to Hawai'i.

As much as I hate humidity...nothing said "Welcome to Hawaii" like that first blast of humid air I felt when I arrived at the Kona Airport on my first ever Hawaii trip. Makes you slow the pace down almost immediately.

[joshuatree]

Re: Hnl

Eh...guess I'm not thrilled by the architecture, it's literally a giant concrete bunker looking building. Shut down some of the lighting, make it deserted, and it almost be like a map out of the game Doom.

I stand corrected on the AC. Thinking back, yep, there are certain portions of the airport with AC. Though, if they do enclose the walkways to the gates on the far end, think they might need to add AC there to make it bearable.

You have to admit, there are elements of the airport that badly need a revamp. Biggest one is the Wiki Wiki bus, seriously, that thing is so old and beat up, when I board that thing with the humidity, I conjure up images of being in some third world country. And I do wish they enclose those walkways to the far gates, having to hear the high pitch engine noise isn't exactly healthy to your ears.

[Jonah K]

Re: Hnl

Eh...guess I'm not thrilled by the architecture, it's literally a giant concrete bunker looking building. Shut down some of the lighting, make it deserted, and it almost be like a map out of the game Doom.

I stand corrected on the AC. Thinking back, yep, there are certain portions of the airport with AC. Though, if they do enclose the walkways to the gates on the far end, think they might need to add AC there to make it bearable.

You have to admit, there are elements of the airport that badly need a revamp. Biggest one is the Wiki Wiki bus, seriously, that thing is so old and beat up, when I board that thing with the humidity, I conjure up images of being in some third world country. And I do wish they enclose those walkways to the far gates, having to hear the high pitch engine noise isn't exactly healthy to your ears.

The only portion of the airport that doesn't have AC are the walkways. Oftentimes, it gets so cold in locations like the inter-island terminal that I'll go to one of the walkways to warm up.

As for the Wiki-Wiki shuttle, I seldom bother with it and find that it's usually quicker to walk from one terminal to another....

[glossyp]

Re: Hnl

I have to agree that the airport needs an overhaul in a number of respects. It's not easy to navigate if you're not familiar with it as the signage is confusing in several areas. The check-in areas are not well laid out and the monitors showing arrivals/departures are tiny. It's easy to get defensive about something you're comfortable with, but if you look at it from the perspective of visitors (they are, rightly or wrongly, the lifeblood of the economy) and infrequent travellers like myself, it could be improved without losing its unique character.

[Surfingfarmboy]

Re: Hnl

That first blast of humid air at HNL..the one you get immediatly after leaving the air conditioned waiting areas at the gates and upon entering the open-air covered walkway to the main terminal that over looks that lower level garden...makes the 11 hour ride from the East Coast all worth while. There is nothing like getting on a plane in 25 degree weather and stepping off into summertime conditions after summer has come and gone, and is a memory for most of the mainland. Not too many places in the US can do this; I've even once got off a plane in Miami when it was 48 degrees. I can say this: It for sure beats the inverse of it, which is getting off a plane that came from Hawaii, in say Minneapolis or Chicago, in late January, when it's 20 below there. Those walkways from the planes that time of year can be downright frigid!

[Miulang]

Re: Hnl

Miulang - As far as I understand, the money for airports come from federal funds and airport landing fees. So I'm not promoting diverting funds for the sake of a world class airport. The state's already planning on the upgrades as is, so my question is, should they build more gates or focus more on bringing the airport up to standards?

PS - Left this out, but considering that tourism is a major economic foundation for the state, having somewhat a world class airport is an important issue too.

Blueyecicle - Was thinking more of the humidity, especially when you have large crowds gathered together.

More gates means more tourists. Doing cosmetic upgrades (like improving signage, which really could be made more clear) is all that is necessary and wouldn't require large amounts of money. The WikiWiki buses could probably be replaced with newer versions, although now the interisland terminal is so close to the international terminal, you can walk the distance more quickly than you can get there via the trams.

Even for tourists, the airport is just a place to get from one place to another. It's not meant to be someplace that one wants to kick back in and stay for any longer than is necessary...although some homeless people have been known to call the airport home. While the smell of jet fuel is somewhat disconcerting when traversing the International airport concourse walkways, I think the tourists appreciate the open air feeling and the humidity that welcome them when they first step off that plane after hours of being cooped up.

Whenever I fly to Maui, I avoid having to go through HNL whenever I can (which is most of the time). OGG is mostly airconditioned too now, with the exception of the concourse walkways.

SEA now is considered a "world class" airport. The new concourse is beautiful (whole walls of glass) and the concessions have all been upgraded. But I wouldn't go to SEA just because it's a world class airport, either, and because of security rules, nontravelers can't access any of the stores on the concourses.

Miulang

[Got2HaVKaYaNoW]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

The biggest thing wrong with HNL airport are the signs, their not placed properly and their not big enough.

I worked for Hawaiian Air for 5 years and 'bad signage' was the biggest complaint.


A hui hou,

KaYa T.

[joshuatree]

Re: HNL - Honolulu International Airport

More gates may mean more tourists if the current usage of the airport is hitting capacity max. But I really don't think that's the case, I've yet to hear HNL having problems allocating available gates to planes like airports in London or Tokyo. And that schematic with the airport upgrades seems to show almost double the number of gates. I think that's money wasted. Sure, add 5 or 6 more gates, especially ones that can handle the A380, but save the money on the next 20 gates and use it to upgrade the existing infrastructure.

Improving signage is a good one. So is maybe getting a sufficient backup power system to avoid what happened last month. I'm all for trashing the Wiki Wiki shuttle, let's just install a flat conveyor belt people mover instead. No diesel fumes be nice. 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.

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. But a real important one is the check-in area as someone mentioned. That's gotta be the worst use of space ever. Not only that, it's not that secure when you got another set of counters behind the check-in counters so anybody can actually walk behind the check-in and drop something on the conveyor belts going to the planes.

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.