Hilo airport flights resume after Kīlauea ash disrupts morning travel
Hilo airport was back to normal after ash from Kīlauea forced cancellations and diversions, testing how fast Hawaii Island can reset travel after an eruption.
Morning flights into Hilo were thrown off course after ash from Kīlauea’s summit eruption prompted cancellations and diversions, but Hilo International Airport resumed operations early June 2 and was back to normal with no ongoing disruptions.
The disruption followed Episode 48 of the eruption at Halemaumau crater, which began at 4:40 a.m. HST on June 1 and ended abruptly at 1:37 p.m. HST after just under nine hours of continuous fountaining. The U.S. Geological Survey kept Kīlauea at Volcano Alert Level ADVISORY and Aviation Color Code YELLOW in its June 1 and June 2 updates.
USGS said fine ash and Pele’s hair were seen in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and nearby communities including Mauna Loa Estates, Ohia Estates, Volcano Village and Royal Hawaiian Estates. Very sparse, fine ash was also reported as far as Mountain View, and a commercial pilot reported a sulfur and ash cloud off Laupāhoehoe that led to cancellations and diversions of several morning flights to Hilo.
The airport, about two miles east of Hilo on the eastern shore of Hawaii Island, serves interisland travelers through a 9,800-foot primary runway. Hawaiian Airlines and Southwest Airlines are among the carriers listed at Hilo International Airport, which occupies 1,250 acres on the island’s east side.
The Federal Aviation Administration maintained active aviation safety monitoring for the region, reflecting the risk volcanic ash poses to aircraft. Even a brief ash event can ripple through a flight schedule on a small island where one airport handles most east-side air travel, especially when volcanic plumes drift toward the coast and force pilots and dispatchers to make quick decisions.
Kīlauea remains one of the world’s most active volcanoes and has erupted dozens of times since 1952. USGS says the 2018 eruption was its most impactful in centuries, a reminder that even a short-lived ash episode can quickly turn a routine morning at Hilo airport into a scramble for passengers, airlines and airport crews.
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