GARY T. KUBOTA / GKUBOTA@STARBULLETIN.COM Travelers waited in lines more than two football fields long into the main terminal at the Kahului Airport yesterday as federal security workers started their first day of checking passengers and hand-carried items.

New security delays
Maui passengers

The changeover to federal officers
brings longer lines, delays and missed flights

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By Gary T. Kubota
gkubota@starbulletin.com

KAHULUI >> Travelers waited in lines longer than two football fields to get into the main terminal at Maui's largest airport yesterday as the transition was made from private to federal security officers at passenger checkpoints.

Scores of people missed their interisland flights and some missed their flights to the mainland, despite efforts by airlines to push back their schedules and accommodate delays.

The lines extended farther than 600 feet close to 1 p.m. but had been reduced to about 105 feet by 4 p.m.

The federal Transportation Security Administration said the delay was partially because the 96 screener trainees needed to adjust to a new work environment.

Lowrey Leong, TSA security director on Maui, said an old black-and-white screening monitor also wasn't working properly for about five hours yesterday, leaving checkers with only two color monitors.

Leong said federal workers would receive a color screening monitor from Hawaiian Airlines on Oahu overnight and have it operating by today. He said the airport eventually will have four color monitors screening passengers and hand-carried items.

A mobile screening team of 17 people from the mainland is assisting in the work and field training.

Hawaiian Airlines officials said 42 people missed their interisland flights, even though the schedule was pushed back 15 minutes.

A Hawaiian Air flight to Seattle was delayed for about an hour with no one missing the flight.

Other airlines made similar accommodations.

A family of three people missed their American Airlines flight to Los Angeles, despite the airlines pushing back the flight by more than 75 minutes, said Andrew Watson, a manager who works on behalf of the airlines.

"It's just the lines were really long," Watson said.

Visitors were surprised at the length of the lines.

"It's ridiculous," said Brock Smith, who was waiting for a flight to San Francisco. "It could have been handled better."

Some residents said they felt the long lines were the price they paid for increasing security and that it wouldn't be as long a wait in the future.

"They'll get it figured out," said Lahaina resident Martin Wyand, who was en route to Italy.