Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport in Keahole suspended operations on Monday, January 15, due to the emergence of significant cracks on the runway. The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) mandated a precautionary closure until the affected runway section is repaired.
From Monday, January 15, at 8:00 PM until January 16, at 6:00 AM (local time), Keahole Airport remained closed. HDOT took immediate action with contractors to mill and repave the 3-meter x 3-meter area of the runways.
The Hawaii State Transportation entity communicated through its official account on X the measures to be taken, and once the works were completed, announced the reopening of the airport. In the statement, it advised passengers with tickets for travel between January 15 and 16 to check with the airline before heading to the airport terminal.
Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport
Kona International Airport (KOA) is situated on the west coast of the island of Hawaii, also known as the Big Island. Officially named Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport in honor of NASA astronaut Ellison Onizuka, the airport serves as one of the main gateways to the island. It is located approximately 11 kilometers north of the city of Kailua-Kona.
The airport features a single runway with a length of 3353 meters and a width of 46 meters. A dozen passenger and cargo airlines operate there, using a variety of aircraft such as the 737 MAX, A321neo, A330-200, and B777-200, among others.
From KOA, there is access to 19 destinations including 14 in Canada and the United States such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Seattle, Anchorage, Vancouver, and Calgary, among others; a weekly connection to Tokyo, Japan; and four destinations within the state of Hawaii, Lihue, Honolulu, Kahului, and Hilo.
