Tourism recovery
to test airports
Rebounding visitor arrivals coupled with increased counterterrorism efforts could make it a long, hot summer for tourists caught in security lines at Hawaii's airports.
Isle tourism officials are expecting summer to be the busiest for air travel since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. That's good news for the airlines and for the economy, but it's a potential nightmare for passengers whose final impression of the spirit of the islands could be of the state's infamous "Hawaiian Time."
Hawaii's tourism and Transportation Security Administration officials are working together to ensure that as security increases and arrivals grow, wait times don't follow suit.
Wait times, which are already a concern, could get even more strained as federal and local law enforcement officials continue to increase counterterrorism efforts. Officials have said the state's fame as a tourist site makes it more vulnerable to terrorism, and they've stepped up security measures in response to intelligence reports that have indicated terrorists could attack America this summer.
Federal officials recently said they plan to send in extra help if security delays arise at Honolulu Airport, Hawaii's busiest. The TSA has been criticized for not deploying enough screeners, which has resulted in longer lines at some busy airports. And state officials were concerned when isle airports lost 242 security workers last year.
The state also has put the final touches on its version of the TSA's national education campaign, dubbed "Ready, Set, Go." The campaign, which will be launched this month, is designed to shed precious seconds from passenger wait times in airport security lines by encouraging travelers to be more careful about what they pack in their bags.
It also reminds people to take off their belts and remove coins from their pockets before reaching the metal detectors.
"Every second counts," said State Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert, adding that if spring's visitor arrivals are any indication, summer traffic will double during peak times, increasing the potential for long waits.
Hawaii visitor arrivals grew 14.4 percent in April compared with the same month last year, according to recent state figures. Domestic arrivals, which were 405,833 for the month, grew 8 percent to be the strongest April on record, Wienert said.
"I went out on a limb last year to say 2004 could be the best year ever in tourism," said State Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert. "I still say it's going to be a banner year and the domestic market is the one that's driving it."
If Hawaii's international market rebounds as strongly as its domestic market, it would be great news for the state's economy, but it will prevent an even bigger challenge at airport security checkpoints.
Wait times at Honolulu Airport currently average 20 to 25 minutes during peak times, Wienert said, but she hopes the state's summer optimization plan will keep peak waits below 30 minutes. That's an ambitious goal, Wienert said, considering that at 10 problem airports identified by the Air Transport Association, the average wait at security lines is 45 minutes or more. But, if Hawaii wants to remain a competitive destination, reducing stress on visitors is vital, she said.
Transportation Security Administration:
www.tsa.gov