Honolulu airport warning

[Disneyworld]

Just a little warning about the airport when you are leaving. When you fly into Honolulu, the airlines runs a short video about how you can not take any fruits, etc into Hawaii, however they basically allow the honor system.

When leaving,however, you must stand in a line run by the Agriculture Dept. scanning your luggage except for carryons to make sure you aren't taking home any fruits and I believe plants. So if you plan on taking pineapples home, wait until you've passed by security. The Ag. Dept doesn't scan the carryons since those will be scanned later.

This adds some time to your check in so if you are sweaking by on time, remember that this is an additional line you have to stand in. It went fast,but we all know that it is only when we are in hurry that things go slow. Also, I don't know if it was just our airline, ATA, but our flight was at 9 pm, we got to the airport in plenty of time, at about 6:15pm. and the check in area was closed as was the agriculture check point,until 6:30pm. A person in line had arrived at the airport at 3 pm hoping to check in their luggage and do some sightseeing, but the check in booths were closed. I don't know what time they closed, or for how long, but I have never heard of an airport checkin/airport closing. You couldn't even get into the airport, not just couldn't checkin. We had to wait in an open air area until 6:30pm. We were told that when there are no flights for a few hours, the area closes. So, you cannot even go into the airport to eat, or relax, you have to stand in line waiting. Again, I don't know if this is just the airline we went on, but if you are planning on spending a good part of the afternoon at the airport prior to your flight, I'd check to make sure you won't encounter this situation. This was a huge surprise to us living in Orlando, Florida, our airport is available all day long.

Also, if you head to the airport at commuter time, it is very, very busy on the roads, so make sure you allow extra time for that too. This just surprised us so we wanted to give everyone a "heads up"

[PDAZ]

We didn't have this issue back in March. We arrived at the airport around two, checked our bags in and wandered around until our flight. We were on United -- don't know if that makes a difference.

 

Also, although our bags weren't checked upon arrival, there was a beagle being walked around the baggage claim area and he'd stop by bags that had food in them (my stepmom got caught -- I don't remember what she had but she was allowed to keep it).

[judyf]

Nice tip DW. That is surprising, here in NY the airports are open 24/7 too.

[whale-watcher]

Would assume this must be airline specific. We have an early evening flight on a different carrier, so would assume that the check in area would have to be open at least a few hours before...this carrier has flights arriving and departing all through the afternoon...

[BigGuy25]

Regarding the long lines at the agricultural inspection. We were in a long line when, coincidentaly, right were we were standing, United Airlines opened a curbside check-in area. They took our bags (they charged a few bucks a bag ... above the tip) and then they took them through the inspection process. We walked right in!!!! So, the moral of the story seems to be to check-in at curbside.

[Disneyworld]

As I mentioned, ATA could be different, but where we were, WE had to take our luggage thru agr. check and then the curb side porters took it from there, the porters wouldn't take our bags unless we had a sticker on them stating that they had gone thur the agr. check. I'm just trying to give a "heads up" to allow extra time just in case. Also, about the closing, again I mentioned it could be carrier by carrier, I just know that our airline required the procedure I mentioned and wasn' t opened all the time.

[whale-watcher]

appreciate the heads up...we will budget extra time, just in case!

[tollandcruisers]

You may be able to avoid the lines totally. EZFly is a program whereby your luggage will be taken directly from outside your stateroom to the airport, checked in for you. Luggage tags and boarding passes are provided to you the night before you disembark. You leave you luggage outside your door, before midnight and the next time you see it is at your final destination. The cost is $19.95 per person (Max 2 bags each). You disembark with your carry-ons whenever you want (No waiting for group calls), go to airport, pass thru security and go to you gate, missing all the long lines and not having to mess with your luggage. We just came back from our trip and this program is the best thing since sliced bread. My wife's luggage was overweigth, but there was no extra charge. Check it out.

:eek::p:D

[tollandcruisers]

You may be able to avoid the lines totally. EZFly is a program whereby your luggage will be taken directly from outside your stateroom to the airport, checked in for you. Luggage tags and boarding passes are provided to you the night before you disembark. You leave you luggage outside your door, before midnight and the next time you see it is at your final destination. The cost is $19.95 per person (Max 2 bags each). You disembark with your carry-ons whenever you want (No waiting for group calls), go to airport, pass thru security and go to you gate, missing all the long lines and not having to mess with your luggage. We just came back from our trip and this program is the best thing since sliced bread. My wife's luggage was overweigth, but there was no extra charge. Check it out.

:eek::p:D

[Disneyworld]

You may be able to avoid the lines totally. EZFly is a program whereby your luggage will be taken directly from outside your stateroom to the airport, checked in for you. Luggage tags and boarding passes are provided to you the night before you disembark. You leave you luggage outside your door, before midnight and the next time you see it is at your final destination. The cost is $19.95 per person (Max 2 bags each). You disembark with your carry-ons whenever you want (No waiting for group calls), go to airport, pass thru security and go to you gate, missing all the long lines and not having to mess with your luggage. We just came back from our trip and this program is the best thing since sliced bread. My wife's luggage was overweigth, but there was no extra charge. Check it out.

:eek::p:D

This will not work out for everyone. ATA, the airline we were flying doesn't participate in this program, so that was out. But, mainly we stayed 1 night post cruise so we of course had to handle our luggage ourselves.

[janniebabe]

I am sure this has been addressed elsewhere - but was unable to find it when I searched - thus my question!

My husband and I enjoy 2-3 snacks a day of almonds and the dried packaged mixed berries - all are sealed in bags they were sold in. Is it allowable to bring these into Hawaii or does this

fall under the fruits (fresh?) restriction?

[farmgirl63]

Do you have information on which airlines participated in EZ fly?

 

Thanks!

Tammy

[odblnt]

I am sure this has been addressed elsewhere - but was unable to find it when I searched - thus my question!

 

My husband and I enjoy 2-3 snacks a day of almonds and the dried packaged mixed berries - all are sealed in bags they were sold in. Is it allowable to bring these into Hawaii or does this

fall under the fruits (fresh?) restriction?

 

Looks OK. Check out the following link and scroll down to food products: http://www.hawaii.gov/hdoa/Info/doa_importing/traveler/airline-passengers-traveling-from-the-u-s-mainland-to-hawaii/