Hurricane Lala caused significant disruptions to flights between Los Angeles and Hawaii on Saturday, leading to numerous cancellations from LAX as the storm approached the Big Island.
Several flights destined for various Hawaiian islands, including Kona, Maui, Kauai, and Honolulu, were canceled. Specific cancellations included United Flight 2373 to Kona, United Flight 2221 and American Airlines Flight 205 to Maui, United Flight 1295 to Kauai, and United Flight 1170 to Honolulu. A return United flight from Kona to Los Angeles scheduled for Saturday evening was also canceled.
Despite the cancellations, many other flights between LAX and Hawaii operated on Saturday, though some experienced delays. Hurricane Lala strengthened to a Category 1 storm with 75 mph sustained winds as it neared the southern part of the Big Island. Forecasters issued warnings for potentially life-threatening flooding and mudslides, with predictions of up to 25 inches of rain at higher elevations. Hawaii Governor Josh Green advised residents to seek shelter due to rainfall rates reaching 2 inches per hour in some areas.
The potential landfall of Hurricane Lala would mark the first such event on the Big Island in 155 years. In preparation, Hawaii transportation officials closed Hilo International Airport and Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole on Saturday. The Hawaii Department of Transportation reported that airlines had no further scheduled flights from Hilo for the day and none from Kona after 2 p.m.
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines canceled a total of 54 inter-island flights and 11 trans-Pacific flights due to the storm, with five of the trans-Pacific cancellations involving Kona. Affected passengers were being rebooked on later flights. Several airlines, including Hawaiian, United, and Southwest, offered travel waivers to allow passengers to change their affected flights without additional cost.
The travel disruptions also created uncertainty for travelers departing from LAX. One passenger expressed anxiety on Reddit about their Sunday afternoon flight to Kona potentially being canceled. Flight attendant Cheryl DeFonce shared on Instagram that her Saturday flights to and from Kona had been canceled, extending prayers to friends in Hawaii and crews operating in the region.
The Big Island airports were anticipated to resume operations on Sunday, contingent upon post-storm conditions.
