Hawaii

Despite 22 Hawaii Flights, Warnings Prior To Blowout, Alaska Airlines Blameless

Published

2 years ago

March 11, 2024

Despite 22 Hawaii Flights, Warnings Prior To Blowout, Alaska Airlines Blameless

As we first indicated, the Alaska Airlines plane with the now infamous January 5 mid-air door plug blowout, depressurization, and emergency landing had extensive flying to and from Hawaii leading up to the event.

Alaska Airlines will not be held responsible for the incident.

The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into the event, as was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Some of the passengers are now possible victims in that investigation.

Alaska said, “In an event like this, it’s normal for the DOJ to be conducting an investigation. The airline rep added that they are “fully cooperating and [we] do not believe we are a target of the investigation.”

The 737 MAX 9 jet had been prohibited from over-water Hawaii flights.

Pilots had reported pressurization warning lights on the plane’s previous flights across the Pacific. NTSB’s chief said that as a result, a decision was made (we aren’t clear if that was by Alaska or NTSB) to stop Hawaii flights so that the plane “could return very quickly to an airport” should warnings occur again. The relationship between the warning lights on over-water flights and the door blowout has been fully detailed. Also, NTSB said that “an additional maintenance look” was to have occurred but did not before the incident.

Unraveling Hawaii Airfare Secrets: Inside Dynamic Pricing

The situation could have been “much more tragic” if the plane had been cruising to Hawaii.

First, the aircraft was climbing when the issue occurred rather than at a higher cruise altitude. Additionally, the plane was able to divert quickly. Had it been en route to or from Hawaii, however, diversion points are non-existent.

Flights to Hawaii present unique challenges compared to mainland flights due to their long over-water duration. Hawaii is over 2,500 miles from North America, making these among the world’s longest overwater routes without a diversion point.

Hawaii-bound flights can be up to three hours from the nearest diversion airport. Given these distances, safety considerations take on heightened significance during Hawaii air journeys.

These flights to Hawaii occurred on the very same plane, prior to the incident.

The aircraft entered service in October and began extensive over-water Hawaii flights in November.

LAX to HNL 11/21.
HNL to SEA 11/21.
SEA to OGG 11/22.
OGG to SEA 11/22.
KOA to SEA 12/8.
SEA to KOA 12/8.
SFO to HNL 12/11.
HNL to SJC 12/11.
SJC to KOA 12/12.
KOA to SEA 12/12.
SEA to KOA. 12/13.
KOA to SEA 12/13.
PDX to HNL 12/18.
HNL to ANC 12/18.
SEA to HNL 12/19.
HNL to SEA 12/20.
SAN to HNL 12/23.
HNL to SFO 12/23.
PDX to HNL 12/24
HNL to ANC 12/24.
ANC to HNL 12/26.
HNL to SEA 12/27.

The elevated number of recent aircraft issues has been concerning. What are your thoughts?

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Hawaii

American Red Cross assisting displaced family after 2-alarm fire

Published

2 hours ago

April 9, 2026

Press Room

American Red Cross assisting displaced family after 2-alarm fire

WAIMANALO (HawaiiNewsNow) – The American Red Cross is assisting a family Thursday after a two-alarm fire was extinguished in Waimanalo.

The Honolulu Fire Department responded to Oluolu Street at about 3 a.m., staffed with 10 units and 39 personnel.

The first unit arrived at about 3:15 a.m. to find a working fire at a two-story residential building. No one was inside.

Flames and smoke were coming from the garage, said HFD. A hazmat team was dispatched to secure a 125-pound LPG tank that was exposed.

The fire was under control at 4 a.m. and fully extinguished at about 4:15 a.m.

No injuries were reported.

The American Red Cross was requested to assist the displaced family.

An investigation is underway to determine what caused the fire and damage estimates.

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Hawaii

Hawaii Water Polo enters Big West Championship as number 1 seed

Published

14 hours ago

April 9, 2026

Press Room

Hawaii Water Polo enters Big West Championship as number 1 seed

The Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Water Polo Team has secured the number 1 seed in the Big West Championship Tournament.

“I think everyone understands the importance of the tournament and, what we want to do,” said Hawaii Junior Daisy Logtens.

Hawaii enters the tournament 13-5 overall and 6-0 in conference play.

UH will open up the conference tournament against 8th seed UC Santa Barbara. UH recently defeated UCSB 18-4 on March 28th in Manoa.

The 1st match for UH is set for Friday at 7:00am HT in Long Beach, California.

The winner of (1) Hawaii vs (8) UCSB will take on the winner of (4) vs (5) UC San Diego.

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Hawaii

‘Surreal’: Flood victims near UH Manoa prepare for third storm

Published

2 days ago

April 8, 2026

Press Room

‘Surreal’: Flood victims near UH Manoa prepare for third storm

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Anxiety ran high in Manoa ahead of Wednesday’s impending storm, which comes about two weeks after a second Kona low flooded 14 residential units along Koali Road.

It was not the first time the homes were swamped in recent months.

Last November, a water main break overflowed the same ground-level units near UH Manoa, causing extensive damage.

Now, as tenants clean up and repair their homes after the latest storm, they are bracing for yet another storm expected to hit Wednesday.

“It sounds like a movie, it sounds a little surreal, a little not real,” Koali Road resident Carlos Jimenez said.

Jimenez, whose home was flooded both times, recalled the recent one, which covered his home in about two feet of water, describing the deluge as “a little bit above knee high.”

The damage to Jimenez’s unit went beyond the floor, too, because of the heavy rain.

“The ceiling got water-damaged. From what I saw, it was soaking water, sagging, and it was about to collapse,” Jimenez said.

Fortunately, crews repaired his roof days before the third storm could send another round of downpours.

Outside, both of Jimenez’s vehicles sat damaged and dead.

After all that he has seen at his Koali Road home, Jimenez said he would take the new storm seriously.

“Get ready, you know, with my mother. She lives with me. She’s 87,” Jimenez said.

After witnessing the devastation in the neighborhood, Jimenez’s neighbor, Dario Aricala, whose home was spared, is not taking it for granted during this week’s wet weather.

“The last storm, we almost got flooded. We are hoping for the best that this storm is not such bad,” Aricala said.

Click here to donate to Jimenez’s GoFundMe page.

In the meantime, other residents have been staying elsewhere during cleanup and repairs, and the property manager said he has been helping them.

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