01-20-2024, 06:21 AM
Yes, the Big Island does have a spare airport! But it was not used. And, bearing me out here, without one hotel room needed however busses would be required, which I am pretty confident are available- thru Roberts. So, please, I am voicing my opinion and do not desire to argue this point to the nats ass of ridiculous banter!
In as much as I am shocked, but elated that the State along with private sector contractors were able to repair the damaged runway as fast as they did, it surprises me that United Airlines, which had to divert two flights - one a Boeing 777 from Denver, the other a 737 from SFO, did not have some sort of emergency contingency plan to use Hilo instead of diverting to Oahu and Maui respectively.
Keep in mind that the diversions were ordered while the 2 flights were 3 plus hours out. Also keep in mind that these United flights turn right back around and go back to where they came from. So as the several hundred people heading to Kona are being told that they are going to Oahu or Maui, several hundred people are arriving at the now closed Kona airport with no place to go.
With the same speed and competent planning and logistical support we saw with the State and Grace Pacific who had crews on a plane into Hilo even before the airport was officially closed and driving over to Kona, United could have shipped the Kona crew over to Hilo, and gotten Roberts busses to bring the departing Kona passengers to Hilo and picking up the diverted passengers in Hilo and taking them back to Kona. United could have also negotiated a “emergency help me” ground services contract with Hawaiian and even Southwest for a situation like this. This would have resulted in only a few hour delay versus a full day of what at best can only be described as “hell!”
I believe that having a contingency plan like that in place would have saved United tons of money in comparison to having to hotel the departing Kona passengers in Kona overnight and the diverted passengers in Oahu and Maui overnight, along with the crew scheduling logistics plus United having to “puddle jump” both jets over to Kona from Oahu and Maui the next day, in addition to United having to “replace” those aircraft in Denver and SFO because the other aircraft did not return when expected actually ended up costing them.
And as a selfish gesture, it would have been cool to see a 777 in Hilo for once!
In as much as I am shocked, but elated that the State along with private sector contractors were able to repair the damaged runway as fast as they did, it surprises me that United Airlines, which had to divert two flights - one a Boeing 777 from Denver, the other a 737 from SFO, did not have some sort of emergency contingency plan to use Hilo instead of diverting to Oahu and Maui respectively.
Keep in mind that the diversions were ordered while the 2 flights were 3 plus hours out. Also keep in mind that these United flights turn right back around and go back to where they came from. So as the several hundred people heading to Kona are being told that they are going to Oahu or Maui, several hundred people are arriving at the now closed Kona airport with no place to go.
With the same speed and competent planning and logistical support we saw with the State and Grace Pacific who had crews on a plane into Hilo even before the airport was officially closed and driving over to Kona, United could have shipped the Kona crew over to Hilo, and gotten Roberts busses to bring the departing Kona passengers to Hilo and picking up the diverted passengers in Hilo and taking them back to Kona. United could have also negotiated a “emergency help me” ground services contract with Hawaiian and even Southwest for a situation like this. This would have resulted in only a few hour delay versus a full day of what at best can only be described as “hell!”
I believe that having a contingency plan like that in place would have saved United tons of money in comparison to having to hotel the departing Kona passengers in Kona overnight and the diverted passengers in Oahu and Maui overnight, along with the crew scheduling logistics plus United having to “puddle jump” both jets over to Kona from Oahu and Maui the next day, in addition to United having to “replace” those aircraft in Denver and SFO because the other aircraft did not return when expected actually ended up costing them.
And as a selfish gesture, it would have been cool to see a 777 in Hilo for once!