Hawaii flights affected by LAX shooting; State airports briefly at higher security level

State deputy sheriffs were more visible at all Hawaii airports for a few hours Friday following the fatal shooting in Los Angeles that shut down one of the nation’s busiest airports.

Derek Inoshita, state Department Transportation spokesman, said the “increased security measures” were put into place at state airports at 8 a.m.

“As more information became available regarding the incident at LAX and it was determined that there was no credible threat to Hawaii, security measures reverted back to normal levels at around 11 a.m.,” Transportation officials said in a news release Friday afternoon.

The increased security measures meant that deputy sheriffs were stationed at airport parking lots, curbside and in the terminals.

Inoshita said passengers should expect delays this afternoon until Los Angeles International Airport is re-opened and passengers should check with their airlines.

At least six flights from Los Angeles to Honolulu were delayed by Friday’s shooting.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a “ground stop” for all flights heading to Los Angeles, meaning planes at other airports can’t take off for the city after a gunman shot and killed a Transportation Security Adminstration officer and injured other TSA employees.

Police said the gunman pulled an assault rifle from a bag and opened fire about 9:20 a.m. as he entered Terminal 3 at the airport. The airport’s other terminals were also evacuated following the shooting.

Hawaiian Airlines reported on its website that its flight 3, scheduled to depart from Los Angeles at 10:45 a.m. (7:45 a.m. Hawaii time) was delayed until Friday afternoon, and is now scheduled to arrive at 5:17 p.m. in Honolulu.

Two other flights for Honolulu left on time, before the shooting. Hawaiian flight 1 left at 9:08 a.m., and an Allegiant Airlines flight to Honolulu also left on time at 9 a.m., a spokesman said.

Two Delta Airlines flights, to Kona and Honolulu, American flights to Lihue and a United Airlines flight had been delayed by the incident, according to the website Flightaware.com.

Delta Airlines flight 1299 from Los Angeles to Kona and flight 1559 to Honolulu were affected, as was United flight 1228 to Honolulu.

American Airlines fight 285 to Lihue was scheduled to depart at 6:20 p.m., about two hours late. American Airlines flight 297 to Honolulu was delayed by about 40 minutes.

The planes for the flights were not able to land in Los Angeles on time, pushing back the Hawaii flights.

Hawaiian flight 9 was scheduled to leave Los Angeles on time at 6:05 p.m., but that departure was dependent on when Hawaiian flight 10, which left Oahu at 8 a.m. arrived in Los Angeles on time.

Hawaiian Airlines operates out of LAX’s Terminal 2.

___

The Associated Press and New York Times contributed to this story.