TROPICAL CYCLONE LALA PORT UPDATES
Hilo International and Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airports to Close; Hawaii Island and Maui County Ports Closed.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 15, 2026
26-0341
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) is in the process of closing Hilo International Airport (ITO) and will be closing Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. ITO and KOA will be secured before closing and security will shelter-in-place at the terminals as Lala continues to travel across Hawai‘i Island.
As of 8 a.m., carriers have advised there are no flights scheduled for the remainder of the day at ITO and KOA has no flights scheduled past 2 p.m. The Transportation Security Administration has closed the security checkpoints and no passengers are at the airports. State personnel will be onsite to monitor terminal and runway conditions and mitigate impacts.
Hawaiʻi Island and Maui County commercial ports have been set in Zulu, which means the port is closed and there are no terminal, facility or vessel operations permitted unless approved by United States Coast Guard Captain of the Port.
HDOT anticipates resuming operations at ITO and KOA Sunday, Aug. 16. If the situation changes, notice will be sent and updates will be provided on https://hidot.hawaii.gov/weather-traffic/ and HDOT’s social media accounts.
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Media contact:
HDOT Public Affairs Office
Phone: 808-587-2160
Email: dotpao@hawaii.gov
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