My Aunt is traveling to the big Island for her honeymoon and would love leis greeting. Does anyone know how I would go about setting this up?

Thanks

Does your aunt want this at the airport? A hotel? A little more detail and perhaps we can help.

sorry. She wanted it at the Airport.

Simplest way is to arrange with a service, like:

http://www.greetersofhawaii.com/

Or, for the FlyerTalk personal touch, I guess I could hire myself out

Aloha.

Thank you so much this is just what she is looking for.

If your aunt is on a package, it may already include a Lei greeting. I would look into that first.

Mary

I'm gonna interrupt this program with a related story of the exact moment I fell in love with Hawaii and it's people. It didn't happen on my first trip there, but it did happen on my first there as a conscience adult.

KOA (Kona Airport on the Big Island). Early 70's.

I had already arrived on the island and was sitting on a bench outside waiting for my girlfriend to arrive on a different flight (you could actually sit out on the edge of the tarmac in those days, and they used the roll up stairs instead of JetWays).

Another flight had just arrived and as passengers disembarked, some who were on a packaged tour and were wearing a little sticker were greeted by a professional greeter with a flower lei, as part of their package plan.

Just then a very elderly couple came down the stairs and stopped near all the package tour folks. They were not part of the tour group and did not receive leis. I could hear this little old lady say to her husband with a slight disappointed tone to her voice, "Dear, aren't we going to get a lei?"

Just then, a local Hawaiian woman who also heard this that was sitting next to me with 2 leis in hand awaiting friends coming in on another flight, got up and presented each of them with a lei and a warm "Aloha Nui."

Their faces lit up, they thanked her and they moved on their now Mele way, probably unaware what had just transpired and that it was not just something automatic that everyone arriving in Hawaii got a free lei.

This kokua Hawaiian lady then disappeared for a few minutes to purchase 2 replacement leis, and quietly resumed her seat to await her friends.

And that's when I fell in love with Hawaii and it's people.

Premex that is a wonderful story. My Aunt and her new husband are that older couple. No package I was able to send them with a ALON award for their Honeymoon and I think this will make the trip perfect. Lokahi's recommend service looks like it fits the bill. Again thanks to everyone for your help.

My last trip to KOA involved a walk down stairs.

Just there in March and we used roll up stairs both when we arrived and departed.

I was just at KOA as few weeks ago. There are no jetways. It's essentially an outdoor airport, save a few structures for shops, bars and restaurants.

At the point of being irritating, I usually ask strangers if this is their first flight from Honolulu to the Big Island? If so, I suggest the left side of the plane on the way into Kona, because you get to see the other islands, which will be to the north of you as you go.

I also suggest that they get in line early and upon entering the plane, ask the stewardess if she will be opening the rear stairway at kona? If so, I suggest that people sit in the back of the plane and exit from the rear stairway. It is quite faster that way than waiting for that stairway to be rolled to the front of the plane.

As a side note, when they land in Kona, it MAY look like rain... it probably won't :-)

Anybody have any services (with websites?) they recommend for a lei greeting at KOA? Want to surprise Mrs. cblaisd when we arrive in a few weeks.

http://www.leisofhawaii.com/lei.htm
https://www.fishbowltours.com/index.html

Good luck and enjoy your visit to the islands Aloha.

last June, i bought my wife a lei from one of the shops near the baggage claim area. it was reasonably priced, they had a nice selection, the ladies were friendly, and it lasted the entire week.

i think this is a great option. once you get off the plane. you probably want to freshen up anyway. plus you can "surprise" someone by buying it for them when they're busy (going to bathroom, waiting for luggage, etc.), and slipping it on as you are finally leaving the h*** of the airport (and the hours of flight) and starting your adventure on the big island.