At least we didn’t name the landfill for Inouye

There’s an uneasiness in the air, a sense of confusion.

All of a sudden, with very little ramp-up or fanfare, the Honolulu International Airport is renamed the Daniel K. Inouye Airport.

If that seems abrupt or odd or oddly disquieting, it’s probably because of this underlying truth:

Sen. Dan Inouye’s name deserves better.

All we’ve heard about the airport in recent months is how messed up it is. Hawaiian Airlines, now its most visible and vocal tenant, strongly advocated for control of the facility to be taken away from the state Department of Transportation.

“All of us who work at Hawaiian are aware of the tortuous pace of the HNL modernization plan. More than 13 years after the plan was approved we are still awaiting completion of the first enabling project, which is our new cargo and maintenance hangar,” Hawaiian posted on its website.

Rather than continue to wait in vain, Hawaiian Airlines took over control of the hangar project, which was years behind schedule, rife with trouble spots due to substandard construction and tangled in lawsuits from subcontractors who never got paid. But even getting approval to take over the project from the state took more waiting.

At the same time, the DOT was in support of handing off the airports to a separate entity that would be untethered from the snarl of legislative and bureaucratic oversight. When SB 658, which would have established an airport corporation, died in the Legislature this session, the head of the DOT didn’t mince words:

“Without systematic changes the public should not expect significant changes at our airports,” said DOT Director Ford Fuchigami in a news release.

That sentiment was backed by Jim Stone of the Airports Concessionaires Committee:

“Let’s be honest and not just critical. Without fundamental changes our airports will not improve. Without an airport corporation, the Airports Division will do the best it can, but don’t expect things to drastically improve.”

Such ominous statements. Such dire warnings.

And then, a few days pass, and down comes the old airport sign to make room for the new Daniel K. Inouye Airport sign as if no comment was needed.

Some comment is needed.

Meanwhile, just off to the side with a commanding view of the runways stands the Federal Detention Center, opened in 2001, the nicest addition to the area in decades. It was built because Inouye got $100 million from Congress for it to be built. It’s not the sort of facility that anyone would suggest be named after the senator, but it’s swankier than the airport.

One of Inouye’s superpowers was his ability to bore through intractable bureaucracy. He was never thwarted by “It’s too hard.” Whether it was by masterful politicking, sharp intellect or the sheer force of his will, stuff got built on his watch.

Maybe Inouye’s name on the airport will serve as a motivator, as a reminder of better days and higher standards. In any case, the airport needs to live up to its new name.

Reach Lee Cataluna at 529-4315 or lcataluna@staradvertiser.com.