The tighter airline security means Hawaii travelers may experience delays, increased baggage searches and other security checks.
The FAA says that on over-the-water flights, luggage and carry-on items of certain passengers will be emptied and searched, and, in some cases, bags will be X-rayed and scanned with an explosive detection device.
Curbside check-in will not allowed. Some passengers will be subject to increased searches if they fit a profile based on how and when they bought their tickets.
Skycaps at Honolulu Airport were as busy as ever this morning, but instead of the usual curbside service they were helping customers into long lines to check their own bags.
The new rules were ordered by President Clinton after the TWA Flight 800 crash, although there has been no evidence of sabotage.
Anthony Domingo, a skycap for six years, said security at Honolulu airport hasn't been this tight since Desert Storm.
But he noted security had already been tight, with efforts aimed at trying to make sure everyone is associated with a bag.
John Fournier, a Hawaiian Airlines passenger heading back to Phoenix after 15 days here, said, "It doesn't look too bad today, but you always expect this. It's moving along. I don't see any open bag searches or body cavity searches."
He said he heard last night to expect about a two-hour wait at the airport. He was at the back of a line that looked like it might take two hours.
Kathy Busick of Kaneohe arrived at curbside with a lot of bags and boxes to take to Micronesia, where she was going to do educational training. she said she didn't know skycaps couldn't check her bags as usual, but said "that's ok. more protection for me."
United Airlines, the biggest carrier of passengers between the mainland and Hawaii, said it does not expect any significant delays or difficulties for passengers.
"I don't think it'll affect places like Honolulu for us too much," said Tony Molinaro, a spokesman at United's Chicago headquarters.
Molinaro said that United's long over-water flights to Hawaii ordinarily have enough turnaround time in the islands to undergo whatever checks are necessary. "We can get our stuff done and get our people moved," Molinaro said.
Keoni Wagner, a spokesman for Hawaiian Airlines, said the airline has received new rules from the FAA.
"A lot of the things are already being done. There are a couple of new procedures. I don't think there'll be any significant impact on passenger convenience," Wagner said.
"We would probably encourage passengers to give themselves a little more time getting to the airport," he said.
"We're 100 percent behind the government here," he said. If there is anything that can be done to enhance the safety of traveling public, Hawaiian will be happy to do it, he said.