Why was Hawaii’s Kona International Airport closed? Expected date to re-open and everything to know

Hawaii's Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport was indefinitely shut down on Monday, January 15, due to safety concerns that arose from the discovery of cracks on the runway. Travel to and from Kona was abruptly halted for the day, but the airport is expected to reopen on Tuesday, January 16.

The cracks, which were the result of degradation, were accelerated due to the heavy rains. The Hawaii Department of Transportation stated that a section of the runway was being repaved. Apart from this, the department also revealed that the entire 11,000-foot runway was going to be reconstructed this year.

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Kona International Airport's runway problem is expected to be fixed by Tuesday

This Monday saw the abrupt closure of Hawaii's Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA) at Keahole. This put to halt any air traffic coming in or out of Kona on the Big Island. The Hawaii Department of Transportation revealed that the sudden closure of the airport at 4:20 in the evening was due to safety concerns that arose from cracks on the runway, which had to be assessed.

The runway will remain closed throughout Monday night as it was not possible to "operate around the damaged section of runway". The DOT stated in an 8 pm update that it was working to mill and resurface a 10’ x 10’ area of the Kona International Airport with the help of contractors. The DOT said via a social media update on Facebook and X:

"Expected completion of the resurfacing, which will allow the runway to reopen, is prior to first light Tuesday, Jan. 16."

The department further informed passengers:

"Passengers with flights scheduled to arrive or depart from KOA Jan. 15 & 16 are advised to check with their airline before heading to the airport."

A 10 pm update issued later confirmed that the work was "on schedule" for a Tuesday, January 16, reopening and also revealed that crews were repaving an entire 10’ x 20’ section of the Kona International Airport runway. According to the DOT, the cracks were caused by "runway pavement degradation" and had "accelerated due to the recent rains."

The DOT also shared multiple images of the cracks on the runway and the work taking place to mill and repave the whole area. The department asked passengers to check with their airlines before heading to Kona International Airport before revealing their plans for an upcoming major project. The DOT stated:

"The HDOT has a project that will reconstruct the entire 11,000 foot runway this year. Cracks had developed and the runway pavement degradation had accelerated due to the recent rains."

A statement was also issued by the office of Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth, which announced that the Big Island was working with "State and Federal partners" to find a viable solution to the problem. The statement further read:

"Our top priority is ensuring the safety of visitors and returning residents. In the coming week, we aim to involve our congressional delegation and explore local resources to maintain travel accessibility to our shores."

According to Hawaii News Now, the closure of the airport led to hundreds being stranded, a plethora of diversions, and obvious delays. The outlet reported that an estimated 5 inter-island flights and 1 trans-Pacific flight were affected due to the closure. The Hawaii Tourism Authority had "pledged" to come to the aid of those who were stranded on Kona.