As tourists question whether to cancel their trips to Hawaii, the Hawaii Department of Transportation has yet to receive a response from the Federal Aviation Administration regarding its request to be exempt from the mandate to drop up to 10% of flights at major airports.
The FAA ordered U.S. airlines to begin cutting flights on Nov. 7 to ease pressure on air traffic controllers, who are not being paid during the government shutdown. Daniel Inouye International Airport in Honolulu was included on the list of airports required to cut flights. On Nov. 6, the Hawaii Department of Transportation penned a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy asking for an exemption, citing concerns that it’s the “nation’s most isolated population center” and that the island has a unique relationship with air travel — including supporting tourism.
“Tourism and related industries account for over 20 percent of Hawaii’s economy and employ 1 in 4 residents. A 10 percent cut in flights would devastate small businesses, cancel bookings, and trigger layoffs across the state at a time when families are already struggling with high living costs,” Hawaii’s Director of Transportation Edwin Sniffen said in the letter.
However, the agency told SFGATE it has not received a response.
Hawaii has struggled to attract the same number of tourists it did before the pandemic, including during this year’s summer season. So far, airlines serving the island have made do by canceling only interisland travel, but antsy tourists have still been rescheduling their trips.
“Some visitors decided to cancel entirely, while others we were able to reassure and keep on track. Honestly, this kind of disruption is the last thing Hawaii tourism needs right now. October was one of the slowest months I’ve ever seen, and November isn’t looking much better,” Bruce Fisher, Hawaii travel adviser and owner of Hawaii Aloha Travel, told SFGATE in an email. “It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what’s driving it, but the steady stream of negative travel headlines from FAA cuts to general uncertainty seems to make people more hesitant to book. We’re hopeful things will turn around soon, but it’s definitely been a challenging stretch.”
On Tuesday, airlines at Daniel Inouye International Airport canceled 18 flights, according to FlightAware, predominantly interisland flights, in an effort to keep flights to and from the continental U.S. intact.
“So far, the airlines serving Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) have met FAA requirements by canceling inter-island flights. We are hopeful that everything will continue to go smoothly as the requirement increases to 10 percent this Friday,” Caroline Anderson, interim president and CEO of Hawaii Tourism Authority, told SFGATE in an email.
Although the shutdown appears to be nearing an end, experts and airlines have cautioned that travelers should prepare for potential further flight disruptions throughout the week.
“The pace of recovery is likely to vary across airports and carriers, often unfolding on a case-by-case basis over several days following the formal resolution,” Ahmed Abdelghany, associate dean for research at the David B. O’Maley College of Business at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, told USA Today.
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Oahu residents aren’t taking any chances with emergency preparedness ahead of the latest round of severe weather.
City Mill has been working to keep shelves stocked with supplies.
“We’ve been selling a lot of sand and sandbags. We have a product called Quick Dam, and we have sold out at a couple stores. We’re trying to move them around so that everybody has something,” City Mill Merchant Iris Wilhelm-Norseth said.
Tape, batteries and flashlights have also been moving quickly among customers, along with pumps and rain boots.
City Mill and other officials are stressing emergency preparedness as recent storms have shown flooding can happen anywhere at any time.
“The little flash flood in Manoa kind of flipped people out too. That came out of nowhere. So people are very concerned,” she added.
Hawaiian Electric said it is also ready, following emergency preparedness procedures to ensure communities aren’t left without power for prolonged periods.
“It doesn’t take a named storm to really cause significant damage to the public infrastructure, whether it’s roads or other types of infrastructure, or the electrical, grid. We know that these heavy rains and very strong winds can have significant impacts,” HECO spokesperson Darren Pai said.
If the Public Safety Power Shutoff program is implemented, the utility said it would be a coordinated decision with emergency responders in the interest of keeping communities safe.
The Board of Water Supply is also asking customers to store water in case service is interrupted for an extended time.
And for storm supplies that don’t get put to use this time around, officials say not to toss them too quickly.
“This is also a great opportunity for people if they don’t use it to hold on to it because we are going into hurricane season starting in May again,” Wilhelm-Norseth added.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
Anyone who’s grown up in the Islands has either given, received or marveled at a piece of Hawaiian heirloom jewelry, the highly ornate, hand-engraved bracelets and pendants emblazoned with Hawaiian names or initials in an Old English-style font.
But where did this jewelry and its unique style come from?
Turns out the first Hawaiian bracelet was made in 1862 for the young Lydia Park, who later became Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last sovereign monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The bracelet, which is now at ʻIolani Palace on Oʻahu, is inscribed with the words, “Hoomanao Mau,” which translates to “a lasting remembrance.” It was handcrafted by Honolulu-based jeweler Christian Eckart and emulated English Victorian designs popular at the time.
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino
Since then, the Hawaiian bracelet has evolved to include tropical flower designs, raised lettering and scalloped edges. Today—more than a century and a half later—Hawaiian heirloom jewelry is still a symbol of love and friendship.
This story was originally published in our SPRING 2023 Issue. Buy a copy here. Better yet, subscribe and get HAWAIʻI Magazine delivered to right to your mailbox.
Catherine Toth Fox is the former editor of HAWAIʻI Magazine and continues to contribute to the website and print publication.
A 35-year-old man was taken to a hospital in serious condition early this morning after an apparent stabbing on Waterhouse Street in Kalihi, according to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services.
At about 2 a.m. today, EMS crews co-responded to the incident and treated the man for multiple injuries, including at least one to his upper body. He was transported to an emergency room for further care.
No other details were immediately available.
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