I had to make a very early morning run to the airport so that Meda could catch her 6:45 a.m. flight to Los Angeles, where she’s going to be speaking at UCLA’s Department of Social Welfare in the School of Public Affairs.

Last night, I tried to find out when the agricultural inspection stations open up, since you can’t check any baggage until it gets inspected.

That information may be on the airport’s official state web site, but I couldn’t find it. I finally emailed a friend who works as an ag inspector, who advised that most of the inspection lines open at 5 a.m. That’s less than two hours before flight time. Not a lot of wiggle room in this age of high security.

In the process, though, I found several other web sites with travelers’ comments about Honolulu Airport.

Here are a few from SkyTrax, billed as “the world’s largest airline review site.”

Inter-island terminal (also used by Hawaiian Airlines flights to the U.S. mainland). The terminal looks like a 1980s time warp. Dark corridors, dirty carpeting, cluttered floor space between jetway and hallway, dirty restrooms, limited concessions and the worst food of any airport in the USA.

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This airport desperately needs a major overhaul. It amazes me how such a busy airport can be left to deteriorate and not receive any funds to remodel into a modern airport in the pacific. The airport is gloomy and screaming out for a make over.

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Whilst this may not be the most modern airport, I like the design. It is open (welcome in those islands) & airy. The bars/diners may not be the best nor cheapest but it is O’ahu; it has to be expected.

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First time back in Hawaii after 15 years. Nothing has changed in all that time – still a dark and dingy airport with little natural lighting. I am sure that prisoners see more light! Immigration on arrival took 50 minutes. On departure after clearing security there are limited facilities. If the state government of Hawaii had any money they should bulldoze this airport and build a new one.

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I was first at Honolulu Airport in 1981 and thought it was an airport out of the 1960’s. Nothing has changed much. I was there in December 2008 (in transit) and again in January 2009 on way back to Sydney. The decor has not changed, the food choices are very limited and so are the shops.

And from Yelp.com:

It’s got lots of good shops and restaurants although the prices are ridiculous. $9 for Burger King?? I mean come on!

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The fact is this airport needs a lot of work!! It is very dumpy and run down. Not surprisingly, outside of the tourist areas… The island looks the same…very dumpy and run down.

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An open-air concrete structure that–much like the rest of Honolulu–hails very strongly from the 70s school of architecture.

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Love arriving here. But this Airport needs a makeover. LOL I believe they can definitely make this airport way nicer and more tropical. This place just looks like it’s worn down.

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We only have one airport here on Oahu. It’s not like I can go to another one. This one needs a revamp, bad. I’ve been to many different airports and people always stop me and ask me if everything is alright or if I need help. I’ve never gotten that here. It actually seems like there isn’t enough workers or something.

And I’m NEVER using one of their bathrooms ever again. I’m afraid I might catch something. I’ll just hold it until I get on the plane and risk motion sickness.

Oh, well, You get the picture, and it’s not a pretty one.