Travelers are advised to get to Hawaii’s airports three hours in advance to compensate for what is expected to be the nation’s busiest summer travel season on record.
Nationally the Transportation Security Administration is projecting it will have to screen 4% more travelers between Memorial Day and the Labor Day weekends than it did during the same period last year, which set a record.
Last summer, TSA said it screened more than 5.3 million departing travelers at Hawaii’s five commercial airports, including 2.9 million at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
TSA spokeswoman Lorie Dankers said Wednesday that Hawaii is also expected to set travel records this summer thanks to “recently added destinations, an increased number of flights and larger aircraft.”
Southwest Airlines, which began Hawaii service in March, has added 16 interisland flights or 1,800 daily interisland air seats. The carrier also has added 2,100 daily trans-Pacific air seats through the 12 daily trans- Pacific flights.
All Nippon Airways launched service May 24 between Honolulu and Narita, Japan, on its A380 “superjumbo” jets, which seat 520 passengers, putting the carrier on a path toward a 2020 goal of doubling its seats between Honolulu and Tokyo.
Deputy Director Ross Higashi, Hawaii Department of Transportation Airports Division, said in a statement that “Hawaii’s popularity with travelers is positive for the overall economy in the state. More airlines entering the market means more options for the traveling public.”
Still, travelers need to do their part to be prepared, Jenel Cline, TSA Federal Security Director for Hawaii and the Pacific Islands, said in a statement.
“We are committed to working closely with our airport and airline partners to ensure that our security operations are carried out in the most effective and efficient way. Travelers can assist us by taking a few minutes to prepare for the security screening process,” Cline said.
It only took Inga Earle, a visitor from India, about 10 minutes to get herself and her two children through a busy TSA line on Wednesday. Still, she said that she was glad that she had arrived the recommended three hours in advance.
“I wanted to be prepared,” Earle said. “The lines were long and you never know what could happen. I didn’t want to worry.”
TSA has set a goal of getting passengers through the screening lines within 30 minutes, but Dankers said higher passenger volumes, especially during peak periods, could sometimes result in longer waits. Busiest days at the Honolulu airport are projected to be Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Busiest times each day will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m, she said.
Since last October, Dankers said TSA has hired 198 officers statewide and is “very close to being fully staffed ahead of the summer travel surge.”
Dankers said TSA, which is funded for 1,200 full-time officers statewide, did not see significant attrition during the government shutdown. Increased hiring by TSA in Hawaii is due to a larger allotment of full-time positions, she said.
“We are currently actively recruiting for TSA officers to work at Lihue on Kauai. However, individuals interested in working as a TSA officer at any airport in Hawaii should go ahead and apply as we are always looking to ensure that we are fully staffed to carry out our security responsibilities,” she said. “The best place to start the application process is USAJOBS.gov.”
SUMMER TRAVEL TIPS
Busiest days at the Honolulu airport are projected to be Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Busiest times each day will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.To speed screening times, TSA advises passengers to follow these tips:
>> Get to the airport 3 hours prior to flights.
>> Unpack your bag before you pack it to avoid bringing prohibited items, which complicate the screening process.
>> Wear slip-on shoes, avoid bulky jewelry, scarves, hair accessories and large belt-buckles.
>> Organize your carry-on bag to easily extract electronic devices, travel-size liquids and food.
>> Look for screening lines utilizing TSA work dogs as they tend to move faster.
>> Enroll in TSA Precheck, which allows travelers to move through screening lines with their shoes and outerwear on and to leave liquids and electronics inside their bags.
>> If you have a question about what you can bring through a security checkpoint, tweet or message AskTSA on social media.
