Hurricane Lala Airport Updates

With Hurricane Lala approaching and expected to pass over Hawai‘i Island today, the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation has already closed ITO for the day, and will close KOA around 14:00.

Flights into and out of OGG have been canceled for latter part of today.

Further information in this HDOT news release.

If you are traveling today and tomorrow, please check with your airline for flight status.

For all of our friends in Hawai‘i, please stay safe!

16 August 2026 UPDATE

Following inspections, HDOT reopened ITO and KOA this morning.

As the now-downgraded Tropical Storm Lala is now south of Kaua‘i, please check with your airline about your flight status. Some airlines have reported cancellations for today.

17 August 2026 UPDATE

Tropical Storm Lala is now west of the main Hawaiian Islands, and continuing toward the International Date Line.

HDOT-A To Temporarily Close ITO's Runway 8/26

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation - Airports will close ITO's Runway 8/26 and Taxiway A for night pavement work from 08-09 June, from 23:00 to 05:00. Runway 3/21 will remain open for night cargo flights.

Further information in this HDOT-A news release.

10 June 2026 UPDATE

HDOT rescheduled the work at ITO to tonight and tomorrow night, with the same closure times.

12 June 2026 UPDATE

Due to rain, the pavement work will be done tonight.

Life Flight Network Orders 12 PC-12s

Life Flight Network, that operates air ambulance services on Hawai‘i Island, has placed a firm order with Pilatus Aircraft for 12 PC-12 PROs, that will be equipped with ICU medical gear. Currently, Life Flight Network has two PC-12/47Es, and an EC135P2+, based on the island. The air ambulance service is also expanding to MUE. It's not known if there will be more PC-12s added to their Hawai‘i Island operations.

Further details in this Life Flight Network news release.

Kīlauea Eruption Closes ITO

Due to eruption episode 43 at the Kīlauea Volcano, ash fallout, and southwesterly winds, the FAA and HDOT-A is suspending operations at ITO. The US Geological Service said that with this eruption episode, combined with winds blowing ash fall toward the eastern side of Hawai‘i, will affect air traffic, as ash will damage jet engines.

11 March 2026 UPDATE

Eruption episode 43 ended in the evening hours yesterday, and ITO was opened early this morning.

Atlas Air's N850GT

Atlas Air's N850GT (c/n 37570, l/n 1455) is en route to HNL from ADW, via FFO [Wright Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH] as VENUS03. It will park at HIK. This 747-8F is performing training flights for US Air Force pilots who will be flying the VC-25B and the E-4C.

07 January 2026 UPDATE

VENUS03 flew down to KOA and ITO with multiple landings, before returning to HIK.

08 January 2026 UPDATE

VENUS03 departed for KOA, then returned to ADW today.

Hawaiian Airlines' Kahu‘ewai Hawai‘i Investment Plan

The Alaska Air Group announced today that they will be investing over US$600M over the next five years  for Hawaiian Airlines' Kahu‘ewai Hawai‘i Investment to improve their lobbies and gates at all five Hawai‘i airports; improved app and website and technology improvements; enhanced rewards and benefits for local residents; and upgrading the cabins of their A330-243 fleet.

Southwest To Launch ITO-LAS Service

Southwest Airlines announced today that they will launch three-times weekly 737-8 service between ITO and LAS beginning on 06 August 2026. This will restart service between Hilo and the mainland since United Airlines canceled its LAX-ITO route in 2023.

Further information in this Southwest Airlines press release.

Life Flight Network's N661LF

Life Flight Network is ferrying one of their PC-12/47Es, N661LF (msn 1505), from VGT to ITO, via SMX today. This PC-12 will be based at ITO, along with an Airbus Helicopters H145, as Life Flight Network as part of its air ambulance operations on Hawai‘i Island.

VH-TQZ

VH-TQZ (msn 555), a white-tail Dash8-315 owned by the Avmax Group is being ferried from ASP to YYC, with stops at CNS, MAJ, ITO, and VNY. It departed ASP on 18 October, and is making its overnight stop at ITO tonight.

555's History:

Nov 2000: Delivered to Eastern Australia Airlines as VH-TQZ "Bundaberg" to operate for QantasLink.

___ 2018: Painted in the current livery.

Aug 2023: "Yes23" decals affixed for three months

Dec 2024: Withdrawn from service, and stored at TMW.

Sep 2025: Acquired by the Avmax Group, and ferried to ASP for storage.

Federal Express Launches 757 Inter-island Flights

As we have reported since this past July, three Federal Express 757-200Fs have been in the islands. One at HNL, another at OGG, and another at ITO undergoing ground training. From today, FedEx is launching Monday-to-Friday inter-island flights out of HNL to OGG, and to ITO.

HNL-ITO: FDX1005 and FDX 1007 // ITO-HNL: FDX1006 and FDX1008

HNL-OGG: FDX1001 and FDX1003 // OGG-HNL: FDX1002 and FDX1004

In a related note, the Corporate Air-operated C408Fs have been flying exclusively between HNL and LIH, while their C208s have been serving the smaller airports like JHM, MKK and LNY.

Federal Express' N939FD

Federal Express has ferried N939FD "Camila" (c/n 24528, l/n 250, f/n 939) from LAX to ITO, as FDX9075. This 757-23AF arrived this morning, and will be used for ground training at ITO.

24528's History:

Oct 1989: Delivered to Air Belgium as OO-ILI, under lease from AWAS.

Mar 1996: Subleased to Sunways Sweden as SE-DSM "Lennart Johansson".

Nov 1997: Sold to Tombo Aviation, and leased to Britannia Airways as G-BXOL.

Apr 1999: Leased to Air Holland as PH-AHP.

Apr 2000: Leased to Transavia as PH-AHP.

Jly 2001: Leased to British World Airlines as G-OBWS.

May 2002: Leased to MyTravel Airways as G-CCMY.

Oct 2003: Leased to Kampuchea Airlines as XU-123.

Dec 2003: Subleased to One-Two-Go as XU-123 (top photo).

  Seen at HNL on its way to join the Omni Air fleet.

Aug 2004: Acquired by Omni Air International as N549AX (above photo).

  While with Omni, it was one of the airliners chartered by Vacations Hawai‘i for their LAS flights.

Dec 2010: Acquired by Federal Express, and 

May 2011: Ferried to QPG for freighter conversion.

Aug 2011: Re-registered as N939FD, and named "Camila".

29 August 2025 UPDATE

N939FD departed for HNL today as FDX9080.

Ukraine AIr Alliance's UR-CAJ

Ukraine Air Alliance's An-12BK, UR-CAJ (msn 8346106), is making an overnight stop at KOA from SBD as UKL5012. The flight originated in LRD as UKL5011.

10 March 2025 UPDATE

UR-CAJ will be flying to ITO as UKL5012.

11 March 2025 UPDATE

After an overnight stop at ITO, UR-CAJ is continuing onto MAJ and TRW.

12 March 2025 UPDATE

UR-CAJ departed TRW for JRF, with a brief fuel stop before continuing onto PHX as UKL5013 (above photo).

Coulson Aviation's N131CG

Coulson Aviation's N131CG (msn 382-4901) is making a stop at ITO, as it ferries to Australia for their summer fire season. This C-130H, flying from SMX as CUL131, will also make a stop at PPG.

382-4901's History:

Oct 1981: Delivered to the US Navy as 161495, as an EC-130Q.

___ 1983: Assigned to VQ-3.

Mar 1987: Assigned to VQ-4.

Dec 1991: Converted to a C-130H, with the removal the EW equipment.

___ 1993: Given to NASA as N427NA, and based at Wallops Island, WA.

Oct 2004: Donated to the Kenosha Military Museum for display.

Aug 2012: Acquired by Wells Fargo NA Trustee, and registered as N130FF.

Aug 2013: Leased to Coulson Aviation, and converted to a fire fighting aircraft.

Jan 2018: Sold to the Delaware Trust Co Trustee, and the lease transferred.

___ 2020: Painted in the current livery.

HDOT Closes ITO For Hurricane Hone

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation suspended operations at ITO in anticipation of Hurricane Hone from tonight. The airport is schedule resume operations on Monday.

26 August 2024 UPDATE

ITO reopened today with Hawaiian Airlines adding extra flights to accommodate the cancellations.

QantasLink's VH-NXH

Southern Cross International is ferrying VH-NXH "Grampians National Park" (c/n 55055, l/n 5014) from CBR to VCV, with stops at APW and ITO. This 717-2K9 flying as SXI3280, except for the APW-ITO segment, which is being flown as QFA6070.

55055's History:

Dec 1999: Delivered to Bavarian International Aircraft Leasing (BIAL) as N9201S.

Apr 2000: Leased to Impulse Airlines as VH-IMD.

May 2001: Operated for QantasLink by Impulse Airlines.

May 2004: Leased to Jetstar Airways.

Dec 2005: Leased to National Jet Systems, and operated for QantasLink.

Jan 2006: Re-registered as VH-NXH.

Jun 2011: Sold to ANZ Banking Group, and the lease transferred.

Dec 2015: Purchased by National Jet Systems.

Coulson Fireliner's N137CG

Coulson Fireliners is ferrying N137CG "Gaia" (c/n 27700, l/n 2759, f/n 137) from TRM to Australia, via SMX, ITO, and PPG, as CUL137. This 737-3H4 water bomber is headed Down Under for their summer firefighting mission.

N179JB

Southern Cross International is ferrying the next former jetBlue Airways ERJ-190AR for Alliance Airlines. N179JB (msn 19000006) is being ferried from MCN to XSP, via OAK, ITO, MAJ, GUM, and BKI, for reconfiguration, and repaint. It's making an overnight stop at ITO tonight.

N179JB's History

Sep 2005: Delivered to jetBlue as N179JB "Come Fly With Blue" (f/n 179) with the "Stripes" tail livery, under lease from GECAS.

Oct 2013: Tail livery repainted in the "Blueberries" design.

Oct 2019: Tail livery repainted in the "Highrise" design.

Nov 2021: Sold to AerCap, and the lease transferred.

Aug 2023: Withdrawn from service, and ferried to MCN for prep to Alliance.

N394BR

Elan Express is ferrying N394BR (c/n 30394, l/n 922), a 757-2G5 owned by BlackRock, for delivery to CargoJet Airways (Canada). It's flying from XMN to YHM (via GUM and ITO) as ELX394, and it will be re-registered as C-GCJB (f/n 512).

N394BR stopped through HNL this past July, en route to freighter conversion.

N565WW

Elan Express is ferrying N565WW (c/n 30565, l/n 802) from QPG to OPF, via ITO. This 767-3BGERF, owned by Northwest Aviation Leasing (part of the Saltchuk Group), is flying as ELX565. It's not known which Saltchuk subsidiary this 767 will be leased to.

N565WW stopped here in July 2022, on her way for freighter conversion.

Coulson Aviation's N619SW

Coulson Aviation is ferrying its 737-300 firebomber, N619SW (c/n 28035, l/n 2762, f/n 139), from TRM [Thermal, CA] to BQB [Busselton, Australia], via ITO, PPG, and XRH for the Australian summer fire season. This 737-3H4 is flying as CUL139, is making an overnight stop at ITO.

N619SW's History:

Nov 1995: Delivered to Southwest Airlines.

Aug 2017: Withdrawn from service, and sold to Coulson Aviation.

Dec 2017: Ferried to IGM for storage.

Jun 2019: Ferried to CBS8 [Alberni Valley Regional] for tanker conversion.

May 2022: Ferried to ROW for testing and short-term storage.