Why are tourists stranded at Kona airport?

HONOLULU: In a sudden and unexpected turn of events, Kona’s airport in Hawaii, a vital hub for travel and tourism, has been indefinitely closed due to the alarming discovery of significant cracks on the runway. 

The Hawaii Tourism Authority is pledging to help tourists stranded by the closure of Kona International Airport.

The airport will be closed through Tuesday evening at least due to cracks discovered on the runway.

HTA said in a statement that they are working with visitor bureaus on each island.

They say they are also in contact with the state Department of Transportation, the airlines that service KOA, and hotels in the area.

“Our partners at the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii on each island are standing by to assist further if needed,” the tourism authority said. “We are looking at how we can further support passengers in Kona who cannot depart this evening, as well as passengers in the air headed to Kona diverted to other airports.”

The HTA plans to share information as soon as they have it and encourage passengers to contact their airline for details on specific flights.

According to a recent report by Hawaii News Now, the closure of Kona’s airport was prompted by safety concerns after extensive cracks were discovered on the runway.

These cracks raised significant safety issues, necessitating immediate attention from officials. While officials are diligently working to address and rectify the problem, the nature of the closure being indefinite has caused considerable inconvenience for travelers intending to fly in or out of Kona’s airport. This unforeseen impact has created challenges and disruptions to travel plans, leaving passengers in a state of uncertainty and inconvenience.