Kona International Airport on Hawaii's Big Island reopens after runway repairs

Travelers bustle about at the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport in Hawaii on Aug. 9, 2023. One of the largest airports on the was forced to close due to infrastructure damages, triggering cancellations and delays over back to back days, but officials announced the worst is over. at Keahole reopened Tuesday morning after visible cracks in the runway forced staff to shut it down Monday afternoon, according to statements from the Hawaii Department of Transportation and the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

Several flights were either across all islands due to the closure, as staff and contractors worked late into the night to resume operations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On Monday night, DOT it was “measuring the usable runway length” and would “provide the information to airline operators to determine how to reopen the runway while restricting planes from the damaged areas.” By 8 p.m., the agency learned it would not be possible to navigate air traffic around the problem, and contractors had to “mill and resurface” a 10 by 20 foot section of the 11,000 foot runway, which has been undergoing a complete reconstruction this year.

During the ongoing project, officials said the pavement started to fracture and degrade and that recent heavy rainfall had exacerbated the damage, requiring immediate attention. As repairs ran late into the night, DOT contractors discovered an entirely new portion of the runway had also been damaged.

Officials said work would return to that section between midnight and 3 a.m. Wednesday and would not impact any commercial flights. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Travelers planning to fly in or out of Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport this week are encouraged to check with their airlines for updates or impacts to their travel.

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