Did you catch the Hawaii News Now follow-up story last week on maintenance issues at Honolulu Airport (“Residents say Honolulu Airport maintenance issues a concern“)?
According to the story, reported by Ramsay Wharton:
Travelers shared photos with Hawaii News Now that show “out of order” toilets and other problems.
One woman wondered why an “out of order” restroom at the inter-island terminal still wasn’t functioning Tuesday, when she took the first photo of the inaccessible restroom August 18.
Much of the story was devoted to presenting the views of Department of Transportation spokesman and former reporter, Tim Sakahara.
Here’s my summary of what Sakahara had to say.
Defense #1: “He said there were currently no bathrooms that were shut down completely…”
That’s good, but…I wouldn’t think that avoiding totally shut bathrooms is something to brag about, but then again, if that’s all you’ve got…
Defense #2 (paraphrased): Wait until you see our costly new airport modernization program! We’re projected to spend $2.7 billion statewide on new facilities.
That’s good, but…without an adequately planned, financed, and staffed system for repair and maintenance, it just means lot more new stuff to fall slowly into disrepair.
Defense #3: The thousands of travelers going through the airport daily makes keeping up with repairs a big job.
“Sakahara said nearly 40 custodial staff (two supervisors, 37 staff) are scheduled to clean the bathrooms throughout the day. But he added that they are short nine staff members on the graveyard shift.”
Two points to be made here. First, in most cases, it isn’t cleaning that’s the big issue. It’s the achingly slow process for repairing and replacing damaged facilities, even when the breakdowns can be predicted due to age, heavy use, etc.
And, second, there’s the “short staff” defense sneaking in, as if staffing levels are not something that is mostly within the control of the Airports Division (largely self-funded through fees, and not as heavily depending on legislative decisions as other departments).
If you would like more details about Honolulu Airport, or the rest of the state’s public airports for that matter, you might be interested in this bond statement from 2013, one of the more recent ones available. Here’s its concise description of the Honolulu Airport:
Honolulu International Airport. Honolulu International, the primary airport in the Airports System, is located approximately three miles west of downtown Honolulu. Honolulu International is the largest and busiest of the State’s airports, accounting for 59.6% of all passengers enplaned in the Airports System in fiscal year 2013. In 2009, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (the “FAA”), Honolulu International was the twenty-fifth busiest in the United States in total passengers (enplaned and deplaned). The 2012 Airports Council International Worldwide Traffic Report listed Honolulu International as the 81st busiest airport in the term of total passengers. These rankings reflect Honolulu International’s (1) large origin-destination passenger base (related to the visitor industry), (2) geographic location in the central Pacific, and (3) role as a hub for Hawaiian Airlines and Mesa Airlines (operating as go!), which provide connecting service from Honolulu International to the other Airports System primary airports. Honolulu International serves interisland flights, domestic overseas flights and international flights to destinations on the Pacific Rim, Oceania and Canada.
Honolulu International has four runways, two of which (12,000 and 12,300 feet long) are amongst the nation’s longest. In addition, it has the only reef runway in the nation (12,000 feet long by 200 feet wide). Honolulu International has 55 total gate positions, including 29 overseas aircraft gate positions with loading bridges, 13 interisland aircraft parking positions, 11 commuter aircraft parking positions and public parking spaces for 5,740 vehicles. Honolulu International also provides runways for Hickam Air Force Base and the Hawaii Air National Guard.
Bond statements like this one are full of detailed management and financial information, and a great source to get started in understanding the airport system.
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Is it just me or are we constantly hearing from our government officials when complaints are made regarding grass not being cut, bathrooms and escalators at the airport not working, pot holes not being filled, lights out along the highways everywhere and trash cans overflowing at our public parks……..that we have a “lack of resources”??? Just how many more government workers do we need??? Lame.
As for the out-of-order toilets — when I was in the interisland terminal women’s restroom on Saturday, there they still were: two stalls with big OUT OF ORDER signs on the doors.
When government agencies regularly request money to repair and maintain facilities and legislatures fail to appropriate anything close to the amount of money requested, those legislatures are listening to people like George who think that organizations that have 30% vacancies and only a quarter of the funds requested for repair and renovation are lame. You get what you pay for.
If it’s not deteriorating conditions at the airport, the critics complain about the public schools. If it’s not about the public schools, it’s about Aloha Stadium. If it’s not the stadium, then it’s about the beaches and parks. If it’s not about the beaches/parks, then it’s about UH. And when we go through the entire gamut of every single facility in this state that is overdue for an overhaul, start over at the airports again. Wash, rinse, and repeat. Over and over and over.
How about this story for a nice change of pace.
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/30338991/parents-community-rally-to-cool-laie-elementarys-hottest-classrooms
“I am appreciative of the time and effort that the volunteers have put into this campaign,” Elkington said. “Rather than complaining about a long-standing issue, they looked for realistic and quick solutions. …Their enthusiasm for these cooling projects is contagious.”
I’m leaving this state.
Wouldn’t surprise me at all if very little changes or improves whenever I visit. The average person in Hawaii is sickeningly powerless. Ian’s web site is a great place to vent. Unfortunately, if all we can do is bitch we’ll have plenny to bitch about.
$300 million on a health computer system that is being shut down. Billions in over-runs on a rail system that does not serve existing population (only planned homes) in west Oahu. Nobody held responsible for any of it. But stand up and ask for something better — forget about it. They will crush you so bad you don’t stand a chance. So bottom line, do what T says or shut up.
I’m an Airline Pilot for one of the largest Airlines in the World and have operated into most of the worlds airports. It is generally accepted in the industry that the Hawaii airports are at the rock bottom of Safety, Efficient , Modernized, and the most important Managed airport in the system.
The Hawaii Airports should be turned over to a Professional operated Port Authority that is not controlled by Politically appointed Morons. Sorry for sounding like Trump.
http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2015/10/21/world-worst-airports-to-get-stuck-at/
It’s All About The Toilets
How do you make airport toilets great?
“One of the first things I was told when I started working with airports, was that ultimately passenger satisfaction is all about the toilets.”
http://www.dkma.com/blog/?p=87#more-87
Work smarter, not harder
“Ideas and insight to help airports significantly improve passenger satisfaction levels without spending much money”
http://www.dkma.com/blog/
Port Authorities as an Economic
Development Tool for Local Government
http://ohioline.osu.edu/cd-fact/pdf/1567.pdf
Airport Bathrooms Will Drain Your Soul
“Airport bathrooms were designed by evil people who hate women. ”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elaine-ambrose/airport-bathrooms-will-dr_b_6956252.html
(Note the photograph used in the article seems to be from Honolulu Int’l Airport….)
Why do so many people hate US airports?
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34704775