Originally Posted by
clubord
Oscar is absolutely right about this but lets be honest, do people flying to HNL really care about the airport experience like at other airports?
Anyone that arrives at that airport (aside from inter-island) has been on a plane for a minimum of 5.5 or 6 hours, they can't get off that plane quick enough and get to the beach!
A lot of people flying to HNL are not necessarily tourists. Honolulu is roughly the 50th largest city in the US - there are business travelers, and military and government workers. And residents.
And yes when I arrive, I'm not hanging out in the terminal, but it doesn't give a very good first impression. And given the planes are usually 100% full, baggage claim is often a mess.
On the other hand, a better experience for departing passengers sorely needed. Things really are falling off of the walls. They finally opened up another bar/restaurant at the beginning of G terminal that quite frankly misses the mark. Its not that great and was really a missed opportunity. They could've put a Maui or Kona Brewing and at the other end the small bar/pizza place with Quiznos next door is woefully inadequate.
Many things can be done to retain a unique island feel - I suspect it was a nice terminal in the 70's but it is downright awful now. The State waited far to long to start modernization projects.