Guide to Connecting thru Honolulu Int'l Airport & Other Hawaiʻi Airports (05/03/09)

[slippahs]

Originally Posted by Mortimerita

Well, the United hotline person in Japan told me that they will not check my bags to Hilo if I buy separate tickets, regardless of the airline. They confirm I have to pass the customs clearance in HNL and then I would have to recheck with the interisland airline.

If at first you don't succeed, try and try again.

Originally Posted by Mortimerita

But the interisland airlines don't let me check in 7 hours before, only 3, so I guess I wil rent a car for 7 hours just to leave my bags on the trunk

With Hawaiian, it should be four hours prior, not 3.

Originally Posted by Mortimerita

I appreciate all your information and I consider it trustworthy, but it looks like the interline baggage rules are not being followed in Japan and I can not risk to be stuck at the airport 7 hours with my bags and watching the beautiful sunshine outside

In that case, no big deal. And if you're traveling during the hours of Hawaiian's drive thru check-in, you can use that for a more efficient check-in process.

Originally Posted by Mortimerita

I really hope they will reconsider reopening the lockers because long stopovers in the USA look kind of disgusting and too cumbersome to many of us.

Some airports in the US have already reopened their lockers. Others have not.

Originally Posted by Mortimerita

There is a link at the beginning of this thread about "long stopovers in HNL" which I would be happy to have a look at but it is broken.

Feel free to use the search feature on the main page of the Hawaii forum to find it. Search is your best friend. If that doesn't work, search for it on Google using the prefix site:www.flyertalk.com

[wdwright]

Mrs. wdwright and I will be attending a conference on Maui and we have to be at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua hotel by 5:00 PM on Saturday, Feb 13. I am about to book the following:

Feb 13: AA39 - Island Air 56 (2:07 connect time)
Feb 16: Island Air 53 - AA28 (2:50 connect time)

I would appreciate comments on the following:

1. We will be carrying on our luggage on AA and will have to check it on Island Air. Will we have sufficient time to check these with Island Air when we get to the Commuter Terminal?

2. Coming back, we will check our bags with Island Air at JHM and will want to get them back to carry on AA. Will we be able to do this air side and not have to clear security at HNL?

Advice greatly appreciated.

[cblaisd]

IslandAir simply gate-checks any luggage that you are carrying on but which will not fit in the Dash-8 plane. You'll get it back on the tarmac when you de-plane.

So you really don't need to exit security at HNL and go through the hassle of re-clearing at the Commuter Terminal. (Just go to the inter-island terminal and follow the signs for IslandAir through the "tunnel" into the Commuter Terminal). Same principle on your return: just gate-check, pick up plane-side at HNL, tell the ramp agent that you have a connecting mainland flight so that you don't go into baggage claim and instead are escorted to the "tunnel" to stay airside to the inter-island terminal.

Unless I'm misunderstanding you post somehow....

[wdwright]

No, cblaisd, you understood perfectly and your reply was what I was hoping to hear. It wasn't clear to me that Island Air allowed gate checking and that is what we need in this instance. With gate checking, we should have no problem connecting and likely will have time for a stop at the AAdmirals Club.

Thanks for the prompt reply!