We know somebody who was in Wailea since before the fire. They considered leaving early, but stayed because of crowded conditions at the airport, preferring to leave the few seats available for people directly displaced from West Maui and just needing to go home.

They indicated they kept dining reservations and a photography appointment and were thanked profusely by those vendors. The vendors directly stated many people were cancelling and their business was way off, and were somewhat frustrated the government and others were discouraging their means of making a living. (Simply put, it was all surreal and tragic, but they still had bills to pay).

Finding lodging and a car I suppose will be difficult with people needing shelter and the Feds pouring in. But airline seats don't look to be a problem unless planes start getting cancelled.

We have an upcoming stay on another island soon. I'm sort of weirded out, but neither the hotel or the airline are offering cash refunds at this point. I don't want a voucher. I would not know when to reschedule. So I guess were going. But I have a return flight connection through Maui. Really need that plane to operate as scheduled and it would really help to have a car to get off airport for a few hours.

Why would you even consider canceling a stay on another island? Just like the people on Maui who didn’t have their homes and businesses burned down by the fire and perhaps lost friends or families, the folks working on other islands need to pay their bills, too.

If your return flight doesn’t operate as scheduled (if airlines cut back schedules), I assume you will be able to get a refund and book something else. Or if you aren’t able to get a rental car, you can presumably hang out in the airport. Not really a huge inconvenience in the big picture of this disaster.

We have a trip booked to a different island for next month and will definitely stick with our plans. Hawaii needs our dollars. Incidentally, one of our trips to Maui was shortly after 9/11. It was an eerie time to travel, and Lahaina was very, very quiet. A lot of the sites of our memories, including the little downtown boutique hotel we stayed at, are now piles of ashes.

If anything we have an excess of rental cars again, with all the people fleeing the island returning their cars. Some cars were abandoned on the West side and some were burned, but the majority are being returned to the airport. When there's an imbalance of visitors to rental cars, the cars end up parked in the cane fields near the airport which is exactly what happened during the pandemic and eventually the cars were shipped off to the mainland and sold off, which eventually lead to another imbalance when people started traveling again.

The airport is and will be operating normally.

-David

And rates have been cheaper as of late. I booked cars on three different islands 2 weeks ago and paid less than I have in years.

So there's actual sugar cane production ongoing on Maui?

David

Topic Check

The topic drift is natural and understandable, but FT has a Hawaii forum and a dedicated thread which I think are better suited for some of this general discussion:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hawaii-435/

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hawa...-8-2023-a.html

Please continue non-property-specific conversation there.

Thanks,
-- Z.

We have a trip planned for October, split between Andaz and Regency.

yesterday I moved our regency days over to Andaz. Not sure if it was just chance or there were lots of cancelations because award rooms and standard suites were available on each group of dates I checked.

We just got back from the Andaz Maui yesterday and we were there when the fire occurred. Talked to a few staff while there - 25% of the rooms are under renovation and by the time we left it was only at 25% capacity. After Thursday, the resort was not crowded at all and you could easily get a pool chair without running down early in the morning. We ended up staying the entire length of our trip, as the locals there desperately wanted the tourism revenue. We ended up doing a private Road to Hana tour and did not have any traffic. Airport was a desert when we left.

Airport was a desert? Was the AC down?

The “disparate locals wanted the tourism revenue.”

What locals told you that?

Please, don't judge the OP here. Maui is a huge island, and there are a lot of moving parts here. The West side of the island is closed and devastated. But people still have to make a living throughout. All of Maui isn't necessarily going to get FEMA funds, and has been demonstrated countless times after tragedy, relying on the government is not the best course of action. Things are changing by the day, but all of Maui has not shut down, and people on the island still need to feed their families. Maui is an island that relies heavily on tourism dollars.

Frankly with all Maui resorts, I think the best course of action right now is to wait and see when regular operations will be possible for much of the island. First responders / insurance adjusters are likely using rooms in many of the area hotels. Lost income during this time is unfortunate for everyone but I doubt rushing to book new business in Maui right now is going to move the needle in a positive way. Let' see how things are around Labor Day. Personally I have some tentative bookings in Maui in December/January - I assume those will be tenable, but I will definitely be monitoring ahead of the cancellation window

Look, I was trying to provide some insight of our experience at the Andaz Maui during the wildfires and the people we interacted with both on and off the resort. The general consensus from who we interacted with was many of the residents and locals rely on the tourism. That was just my two cents from my experience. It doesn't mean everyone in Maui has the same views as I do.

We just finished a stay here for 5 nights for our honeymoon. We were supposed to stay at HR but immediately canceled after hearing the news (used points, easy to cancel). Rebooked with Andaz since we weren't sure whether we had the headspace to rebook for another island (nearly all our wedding guests that were supposed to also go to Maui after our wedding canceled or rebooked though). Cancelation policy is officially 21 days, but we confirmed with staff that we'd be able to cancel still if we need to.

When we checked in, we overheard that they were transporting luggage from HR to the Andaz that day. It was pretty solemn feeling the first day when we checked in, but on Friday, there were two weddings that still went on without cancellation, so it definitely lightened the mood when those guests arrived and there were actually people on the resort.

Chatted with the locals, and they were definitely hit hard in terms of lost business. Mama's Fish House had space for walk-ins. Road to Hana was empty and a relaxing drive. It's actually really sad to hear that people cancelled their stays all the way out a few months from now, considering that most folks on the island are just trying to continue making a living. Haleakala did end up staying closed during our visit, but my prediction is that they will open things back up very soon.

Received from Alaska Airlines tonight
 

Because you have traveled to Hawaiʻi with us in the last year, you might be interested in how to continue supporting the Maui community’s recovery – including through your travel. While West Maui works to recover and rebuild for years to come, the rest of Maui remains open and safe. Local businesses are such an important part of the community and many of these small business owners are ready to welcome mindful travelers back to the island.

Please have compassion and mālama (care for) the island during your stay and support local Maui businesses while giving Lāhainā and the surrounding areas the space they need to heal and recover.

We’re offering 40% off your next flight to Maui between today and October 18* so you can show your support by visiting these local businesses (and many more). Additionally, the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea is providing a 20% discount for your visit and the Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort is offering your 5th night free.

Other"As we navigate through the recent events that have taken place on Maui and ‘auamo kuleana as a community, Maui continues to need your support and kāko‘o in keeping our economy open. We need the likes of both kama‘āina (locals) and malihini (visitors) to continue to support our local businesses and local economy so that we, as a kaiāulu (community), can continue to give as well. Please continue to support our economy through responsible travel, shopping local, and sharing this message to assist us in amplifying our voices.

We welcome you. We aloha you.

West Maui is closed, but the rest of Maui remains open."
- Britney Alejo-Fishell | Haku Maui, Owner and Creator

Many of us are down to nothing – we've lost a lot, but we can recover slowly with the help of responsible tourists and locals returning to Maui. We want our restaurant to thrive again so that we can provide for our community and our family."
- Cindy Liu | L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Honokōwai, Owner"E hele mai a e kipa mai (please come and visit Maui). As a kānaka (Native Hawaiian) living on Maui, we are now here protecting the cultural landscape and our po‘e (people) of Lāhainā, Kā‘anapali and Nāpili. But, Maui is open in Kīhei, Wailea, Hāna, Wailuku, and Kahului. Small business owners and my loved ones in hospitality depend on tourism, as it is a huge part of Maui's economic growth. You visiting Maui helps put food on our tables and clothes on our children's backs. Please come. ‘Āmama, ua noa (it's a blessing to have you). Please come with humility, love, and aloha during these trying times. Maui is not closed – just the west side is. We are open."

- Kalani Pe‘a | 3-time GRAMMY Award-winning Native Hawaiian singer, songwriter, and music producer

Rocking the discounts on those Villas… Between now
and Xmas, there’s between 7-10 of the 12 villas on property available (doesn’t mean all are in inventory to rent), that includes holiday weekends and end of year Xmas…