Consolidated ITO gates/security/ticket counters/locations, etc., thread
 

With ATA's new ITO-OAK flight at 8:20am, I discovered today that there are many, many, many more people trying to get through security ~7:00am. Most of the time you can count on ITO security being no more than 2-3 minutes. But if you're catching an interisland flight in the morning you may want to add more time.

Thanks for the heads-up! ^ My dad is coming out to Oahu next week to help me get my car down to the pier and move back home for the summer. We always take it for granted that Hilo security is quick. I'll let him know.

BTW, I wonder how those ATA flights are doing.

hal717200-
Just so happens I'm booked on ATA flying OAK-ITO 6/15 and HNL-OAK 6/25. I'll let you know how it goes.
Kendall

Definitely good advice. I actually ran into some nasty early-morning lines (not consistently but there was one point where HA and AQ had departures near each other, and the lines were always awful) even before ATA's arrival... I think it was the 6:43 AM departure on HA, with the really tight connection in HNL, back when I was doing HA ITO-HNL-LAX and BA LAX-LHR-wherever. Now that I'm doing mostly NW with some HA codeshares, I don't have that problem. :)

AQ and HA still have those flights that leave 2 minutes apart.

I had one of those tight HNL connections a couple of weeks ago

I'm back.
The ATA flights seem to be pretty popular- OAK-ITO and HNL-OAK seemed to be at least 90% full. The only empty seats were from folks who had upgraded into F & there were still empty F seats. We were actually upgraded on the way out, but much to our dismay, there is no meal in F either (on a 5+ hour flight). We munched on our complimentary snackbox and 2 (they reminded us, only 2) cocktails. The seats are decent in F- and we enjoyed 2 movies on the way out (Big Momma's House 2 and a Queen Latifah film - Last Holiday). Other than that, this was a no-frills experience. The service was all over the place, but it's not really worth detailing. We were happy when we got there (although tired!).
Kendall

Thanks for the trip report. ^

ATA is a no-frills airline all around, so I'm not entirely surprised at the lack of service on your F-bound trip. Still, at least there's a LCC servicing Hilo; who'd ever thought?

From a 738 to a 752
 

So there's news that ATA come August will expand this flight to a 752! That'll surely be a sight to see a 757 parked at the gate at ITO. :eek:

http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacif...4/daily24.html

And, of course, add to the congestion at the security lines at this airport.

Cool cool. I am leaving ITO for the mainland in a couple weeks. Looks like a Boeing 757 will be my chariot. I've already chosen my seats on a 738 layout... I hope changing to a 752 doesn't mess it up too much.

I've seen ATA bring in 757's before on charter operations for the military. In 2004 they were doing several flights between HNL and ITO to haul military personnel up to Pohakuloa. Back then I was working for a helicopter company out on the ITO ramp. We talked story little bit with the crew while grabbing lunch in the sh*tty airport cafeteria. They parked it down at gate 9.

Anyhow, getting anxious for my trip. :eek:

ITO-OAK - ATA B757-200
OAK-LAS - SWA B737-300, spending a few nights in Vegas.
LAS-MSP - NWA B757, spending a couple nights in Minneapolis
MSP-GFK <--- Amtrak Train!

I'm a little curious, since it's been a while since I last flew to Hilo.....

What gate does ATA park their a/c at upon arrival in Hilo? Does anyone think the upgrade from the 738 to the 752 would result in a gate change (if any such assignment process is in effect there)?

For that matter, where does everyone else still stay, as it seems the Main Terminal is getting a little crowded. ;)

They've been using gate 3 (the first jetway) pulling straight in (perpendicular to the terminal), requiring a pushback on departure. I don't think switching to a 757 would matter much. They should still be able to use gate 3.

Island Air has been using gate 5 (ground level door to the ramp) and go! has been using gate 6A (the other ground level door to the ramp). Hawaiian (Airlines, that is... not the new self-proclaimed "low cost Hawaiian airline" :rolleyes: ) has been using gate 4. Aloha has been using 7 & 8.

ITO will be installing new jetways soon.

Rumors are going around that United is supposedly looking into ITO. They've been inquiring with the airport management about facility options (gates, counters, etc.). I heard that if it does get busier, ITO will require everyone to do pushbacks. No more ripping out of the gate on the left engine.

I can imagine that the jetways at ITO are quite old.
A nice welcome back to ITO for UA. But, is there really that much demand? :confused: Guess they've got some inkling of demand if they're looking.
And no more getting deaf at the check-in counters/baggage claim from the screaming AQ engines. :D

Anybody remember back in the day, when ITO had two or three 747s to the mainland every week? UA to ORD (really!), NW to SEA.

My only flight out of ITO was in 1973, on a D8S to SFO. Big things I remember were (a) our raw sugar cane was confiscated, and (b) my brother lost 3 hours of his birthday!

Some changes at ITO....
 

Flew ITO-HNL-ITO today on HA.....

At 5:50 a.m., the security line was about 6 minutes. This is six times longer than a few months ago :D (I recognize that that's hardly a valid sample, and I was probably early enough to beat most of the ATA ITO-OAK flyers).

IslandAir used to board from the mauka end of the main terminal lobby (where the Hawaiian and Aloha Premier and Ali'i clubs are). Now go! uses that boarding area, and Island Air is at the opposite end of the lobby (makai) by the escalator/stairs to the Aloha gates.

HA was using gate 7. Upon exiting the plane, we were directed leftwards and down the stairs (you could go right if you wanted, though, to get to the "old" escalators by HA baggage claim). It is therefore a much longer walk now to baggage claim from the plane.

go!'s ticket counter is (along with IslandAir's) in the "Air Tours" section (mauka, next to the HA baggage claim area).

More changes at ITO....

HA boarding used to be at the mauka end of the gates.

Now it looks like all the airlines have consolidated their gates at the makai (the old Aloha Airlines are) end.

Island Air's ticket counter is now makai of Hawaiian's ticket counter.

Most important (if you're picking someone up), HA now uses the old AQ baggage claim area at the makai end of the terminal.

Of course, this is at least the fourth change to layout, gates, baggage, ticket counters I've seen in four years, so who knows how long it will last.