#airport transfer honolulu

[toplimohawaii]

Airport Transfer Honolulu

Say goodbye to the hassle of finding a reliable ride after a long flight. Top Limo Hawaii provides top-notch airport transfer services in Honolulu, ensuring you arrive at your destination in comfort and style. Our skilled chauffeurs will greet you at the airport, handle your luggage, and take you directly to your hotel or other destination. Book now! 

[executive-chauffeur-hawaii]

Venturing on an adventure in Hawaii becomes even more stunning when you can explore at your own pace. That's where private transportation Oahu comes in handy. In this blog, we'll delve into private car rentals in Hawaii, reveal the exact process of securing private transfers at Oahu Airport in Honolulu, and explore why opting for private transportation on the island of Oahu is a wise choice.

[smolsleepyfox]

I found this in my drafts so enjoy my bitching about the absolute shitshow my first intercontinental flight turned into.

Travelers: smolsleepyfox + mother who doesn't speak a lot of English

The inbound journey: train to Frankfurt > flight to LA (Condor) > ~two hours transit time > flight to Honolulu (Hawaiian)

Estimated travel time: 24 hours

What actually happened: The ICE was late, of course, but we had more than enough buffer regardless. The plane was announced as 45 minutes delayed due to a delayed arrival. Okay, not fun, but doable.

We eventually started with a delay of 1h 40. Refer to the transit time stated above.

The flight itself was cool, I really liked the 3D earth model with our route showing all sorts of background info on sights we were passing. I saw Iceland and the Faroe islands for the first time, and some of Greenland, the Great Salt Lake and Nevada. (Why is the US so big and empty in the middle, it was kind of freaky??)

Anyway. We arrived with a delay of 1h 20 and hastened to get to the connection. As travellers entering the country we had to get our bags and then check them in again when we were connecting, so we did just that.

Mistake.

Because when we made it to the check-in counter of Hawaiian Airlines they told us we'd been rebooked to a different flight with an entirely different airline. At 7am the next day.

Apparently Condor thought we wouldn't make the connection and changed our booking. The very sweet lady at the counter wrote down the flight number for the new booking, and recommended we go ask our original airline to get us a hotel because by that time it was 7pm and we'd been up for about 24 hours.

Guess who does not work anymore at 7pm?

If you guessed Condor's customer service desk, you get a point. What followed should be familiar to people who watched Asterix conquers Rome. I probably spoke to everyone wearing some sort of uniform in the entire building. Turns out social anxiety is only a problem until your stress level hits the roof. And after all of that didn't even work, we got a SMS with a hotel booking and food vouchers.

Note that by that point, we'd been running around for nearly three hours and there's still no information the new flight booking even exists. We have no boarding passes, not even an email saying we got rebooked in the first place, just a hand-written flight number.

To be fair the hotel was extremely nice. There even was a pool in the courtyard - which we couldn't use because as I mentioned we'd checked in our luggage. We didn't even have a toothbrush. Regardless, half of the vouchers were spent on dinner that I thought was stupid expensive (but hey not my money!).

Next morning while waiting in line to get our boarding passes I talked to a dude from Cincinnati checking in a very friendly black Labrador Retriever. I told him I'd love to see the Great Lakes sometime and he said he has a friend who went to Germany with his athletics team and it sounded very fun. I told him we have a lot of big funky churches and he seemed to appreciate it. We also spent the other half of the vouchers on Starbucks.

We did make it to Honolulu airport. Our bags did not. The day before, they'd told us that they'd either transfer our luggage to the new airline, or they'd just put it on their flight to Honolulu that leaves the same time. We waited at the baggage claim for our flight. The conveyor belt was blocked by a large box for like ten minutes. No luggage. We have no flight number for the other Hawaiian flight and none of the screens even show that that plane exists, let alone is supposed to arrive in the span of the next two hours.

After asking five different people and my mom running off on her own, we manage to get to Hawaiian's baggage service desk and one of the crew wanders off with our receipts to take a look. He returns after 30 minutes with a cart. I didn't ask where the hell he found our stuff. He was probably a wizard.

We still don't have a confirmation we ever got rebooked.

---

This is where I left off, thinking we'd finished the Odyssey. Guess the fuck what! We had not!

We spent a lovely two weeks on O'ahu of which I was sick for most of the first (I blame the AC). Our flight back was at 7.25am.

The plan was for us to go to LA together, where I'd put my mom on a flight back (Condor again) and for me to spend two more weeks in LA. We arrived around 5am because we're German and that's the bare minimum of buffer. Online check-in somehow didn't work for the Honolulu-LA leg but did work for the LA-Frankfurt leg. So we get to the airport, try the kiosks. No luck there either. Go to the customer service counter.

The poor man took about five minutes looking between his PC and our passports before telling us he had to check something and wandering off for a solid twenty minutes. That can't be a good sign.

He returns. My mom's ticket doesn't exist.

What do you mean her ticket doesn't exist, I ask, wondering if I've lost the ability to speak English.

Apparently when Condor rebooked us on the inbound flight, they accidentally canceled both Hawaiian airlines reservations for my mom. So now we have an hour left and my mom doesn't have a ticket and a flight to catch.

Booking another ticket for this specific flight is 2800$ - even if we were willing to pay that (we were not) that is very much above my credit card's limit. The man, who clearly feels bad for us, advises me to call Condor directly.

I genuinely don't want to think about how much money I paid calling the hotline. The entire thing was a disaster - I have auditory processing disorder, it was loud as fuck in the airport and the man on the other end had an accent. At first I gave him the wrong booking number (mine instead of my mom's), then he misunderstood and thought our inbound flights were with Lufthansa so Not His Job. He eventually promised to reinstate the ticket so we should wait a few minutes and return to the check-in. At check-in the tickets did not show up, so I call them back and ask for the ticket numbers to double-check.

Having a pacing man at the airport yell into his phone in German probably fulfills some kind of stereotype.

We went outside so my mom could have a smoke break and I avoided having a meltdown with the help of a soggy Nutella bread, since I hadn't even had breakfast at that point.

At this point, we've missed our flight, meaning my ticket has lost its validity as well. Stakes are high.

The few minutes were apparently enough for the system to catch up though, because when we got back to the check in counter, a very nice lady told us that while it wasn't Hawaiian Airlines' responsibility, they offered a complementary rebooking to a later flight. They wouldn't be able to guarantee we got on if it was full, but chances were good. Very stressful 40 minutes until we were called up by a guy my age who apologized for not knowing how to pronounce our last name.

But wait - my mom had a flight to catch. The stopover time by that point had shrunken to an hour... And our plane was delayed. In all fairness, the cabin crew was lovely, they offered all passengers with connecting flights to get off the plane first, just grab our stuff and run. Which is what we did, running up to the gate and asking if boarding is still ongoing like we were being chased by the mob. This flight was also delayed and I think the stewardess was concerned for us.

But hey, at least my mom made it home. Just to put the cherry on top though, my mom's luggage arrived in Germany five days later.

My own flight from LA to Frankfurt was luckily completely unremarkable. Never again.

[toplimohawaii01]

Airport Transfer Honolulu

Top Limousine Service offers top-quality airport transfers in Honolulu. Our reliable service ensures you reach your destination comfortably and on time. With clean vehicles and friendly drivers, we make your airport transfer a breeze. Count on us for a smooth and worry-free experience in Honolulu.

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[tours2go]

Begin your Hawaiian vacation on the right foot with a luxury private transfer from the Honolulu International Airport (HNL) to your Oahu hotel or the Honolulu cruise terminal. Your driver will pick you up at the airport and transport you to your hotel in area #1 (Waikiki and surrounding areas), area #2 (Ko'olina and surrounding areas) and area #3 (Turtle Bay and surrounding areas) or the Honolulu cruise port. Choose between a Mercedes-Benz sedan, Mercedes-Benz SUV or a luxury Sprinter limousine for your transportation.You MUST select a hotel that coincides with the area in the itinerary section of this product. Failure to do so will result in a canceled booking. #Tours2Go #ToursToGo

[gmqazi19739]

Kim Jong Un welcomes Putin in North Korea

SEOUL, South Korea — The streets of Pyongyang, North Korea, have been lined with flags and portraits Wednesday — not for Kim Jong Un, but for his visitor and rising ally, Vladimir Putin. The Russian president is meeting with the North Korean leader in an uncommon go-to to the reclusive state, as he seeks ammunition for his war in Ukraine and vows to again the nuclear-armed regime towards America. U.S. officers beforehand told NBC News that they anticipate the pair to solidify a brand new deal to broaden transfers of navy expertise to Pyongyang in trade for provides of munitions that Moscow's navy badly wants on the battlefield. Putin’s go-to, his first to North Korea in 24 years, comes because the Kremlin’s forces push for breakthroughs in Ukraine’s east and north whereas Kyiv’s defenses have been bolstered by new commitments from its allies. Kim, in the meantime, has intensified his nuclear testing and threats, stoking tensions with U.S. ally South Korea and elevating alarm concerning the extent of his ambitions. Kim was at Pyongyang Worldwide Airport to greet Putin upon his arrival in the early hours of Wednesday, shaking his hand and embracing him, based on the state-run Korean Central Information Company. He then accompanied Putin in his limousine to the Kumsusan State Visitor Home the place the Russian chief could be staying. The company mentioned the 2 leaders “exchanged their pent-up inmost ideas” through the trip and that their assembly demonstrated the “invincibility and sturdiness” of Russia-North Korea ties. Putin finally visited Pyongyang in 2000 to enhance ties with Kim’s father, Kim Jong Il, whereas the present North Korean chief’s visit to Russia’s Far East final 12 months provided indicators of the deepening relationship. In a letter printed in North Korean state media on Tuesday forward of the journey, Putin mentioned he appreciated the nation’s help with the conflict in Ukraine and vowed to help Pyongyang towards U.S. “financial stress, provocation, blackmail, and navy threats.” The spotlight of the go-to is predicted to be a brand new strategic settlement that might deepen navy and financial cooperation between the 2 regimes as they give the impression of being able to bypass the slew of world sanctions towards them. The leaders’ itinerary additionally contains particular person speeches, a tea celebration, and a “ceremonial live performance” to be held at a sports activities complicated, Putin’s international coverage aide Yuri Ushakov mentioned Monday, based on Russian state media. The strategic settlement might “lay the groundwork for arms commerce and in addition, facilitate their anti-U.S. and anti-West coalition,” mentioned Lami Kim, a professor on the Daniel Okay. Inouye Asia-Pacific Middle for Safety Research in Honolulu. Officers within the West are involved in weapons and intelligence sharing that might each assist Putin’s military in Ukraine, and threaten the U.S. and its allies in Asia. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned Tuesday that Russia was attempting “in desperation, to develop and to strengthen relations with nations that may present it with what it must proceed the conflict of aggression that it began towards Ukraine.” He mentioned North Korea had been offering Russia with “vital munitions” in addition to different weapons to be used in Ukraine. U.S. intelligence officers imagine Putin is offering North Korea nuclear submarine and ballistic missile expertise in trade, six senior U.S. officers have advised NBC Information. The Biden administration, they mentioned, is anxious that Russia would possibly assist North Korea full the ultimate steps wanted to discipline its first submarine able to launch a nuclear-armed missile. Each North Korea and Russia have denied any switch of arms, which might violate United Nations Safety Council resolutions that Russia has supported up to now. Russia ended the monitoring of U.N. sanctions against North Korea with a veto within the Safety Council earlier this 12 months that drew accusations that Moscow was avoiding scrutiny and becoming a member of China in shielding Kim from penalties for his weapons exams. The South Korean International Ministry mentioned Tuesday that any cooperation should not violate the prevailing resolutions and “undermine regional peace and stability.” Pyongyang may additionally get entry to much-needed oil and pure sources for its decimated economic system and missile program. “Their cooperation will additionally undermine the effectiveness of sanctions,” Kim, the professor in Honolulu, mentioned. It’s additionally a private win for the North Korean chief, she mentioned, as “being seen with a world chief like Putin would even be an enormous win” for home propaganda efforts to elevate him to the cult-like status that his father and grandfather loved. “There’s financial good points and reputational good points,” she mentioned. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest level in years, as Kim accelerates weapons testing and the U.S., South Korea, and Japan intensify joint navy drills that the North views as a rehearsal for invasion. Final 12 months Kim forged apart the objective of unifying with the South, elevating considerations that he could also be getting ready for an all-out assault on the U.S. ally. The rival neighbors have stepped up psychological warfare, exchanging waste-filled balloons and music on loudspeakers. South Korean troops fired warning pictures Tuesday after North Korean troopers briefly crossed the closely fortified border, apparently in error. The 2 stayed technically in conflict after the Korean Struggle resulted in 1953 with an armistice slightly than a peace treaty. After leaving North Korea on Wednesday, Putin is predicted to go to Vietnam, which upgraded its relationship with the U.S. throughout a go-to by President Joe Biden's final 12 months. The U.S. rebuked Vietnam over the go-to, with a State Division spokesperson telling NBC Information: “No nation ought to give Putin a platform to advertise his conflict of aggression and in any other case enable him to normalize his atrocities.” Source link Read the full article

[anaseoservices]

Best Property Management in Oahu - www.happyvacationshawaii.com

Happy Vacations in Hawaii: Experience the Best Property Management in Oahu

Hawaii is a dream destination for travelers worldwide, offering stunning beaches, rich culture, and lush landscapes. Among its islands, Oahu stands out, providing a unique mix of urban excitement and natural beauty. To maximize your experience, it’s essential to engage with the best property management in Oahu. These experts ensure a seamless, enjoyable stay, giving you a home away from home that meets all your needs.

Discover Oahu: The Heart of Hawaii

Oahu, known as “The Gathering Place,” boasts a diverse array of activities and sights. From the bustling streets of Honolulu and the iconic Waikiki Beach to the historic Pearl Harbor and the serene North Shore, Oahu caters to all tastes. The island's unique blend of metropolitan amenities and outdoor adventures makes it an ideal vacation spot for everyone.

Best Property Management in OahuOpting for the

best property management in Oahu can significantly enhance your vacation. Here’s why:

Premium Accommodation: The best property management in Oahu ensures access to top-tier rental properties. Whether you seek a luxurious beachfront villa, a cozy condo, or a spacious family home, you’ll find an option that fits your preferences and budget.

Exceptional Service: These companies offer outstanding customer service, managing everything from check-in and check-out processes to maintenance and housekeeping. Their goal is to make your stay as comfortable and stress-free as possible.

Local Expertise: With extensive knowledge of the area, the best property management in Oahu provides valuable insights and recommendations. They can direct you to hidden gems, local events, and must-visit attractions, ensuring you make the most of your time on the island.

Convenience and Peace of Mind: Vacation is a time to relax and unwind. The best property management in Oahu handles all logistics, allowing you to focus on enjoying your holiday. From arranging airport transfers to stocking your rental with groceries, they take care of everything.

Top Activities to Enjoy in Oahu

While staying with the best property management in Oahu, you’ll have easy access to a variety of activities:

Beach Days at Waikiki: Surf, sunbathe, or enjoy a catamaran cruise. Waikiki Beach is the perfect place to start your Oahu adventure.

Hiking Diamond Head: This iconic volcanic crater offers panoramic views of Honolulu and the Pacific Ocean.

Exploring Pearl Harbor: A visit to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial is a poignant and educational experience.

North Shore Surfing: Watch world-class surfers tackle the big waves or try surfing yourself in gentler conditions.

Cultural Experiences: Attend a traditional luau, visit the Polynesian Cultural Center, or explore the Bishop Museum to learn about Hawaiian history and culture.

Tips for a Happy Vacation in Hawaii

To make the most of your stay, consider these tips:

Book Early: The best properties managed by the best property management in Oahu are in high demand. Book well in advance to secure your ideal accommodation.

Plan Your Itinerary: While spontaneity is great, having a rough plan helps you fit in all the must-see attractions and activities.

Pack Smart: Bring comfortable clothing, swimwear, and sunscreen. Don’t forget your hiking shoes if you plan to explore Oahu’s trails.

Respect Local Customs: Hawaiians are known for their hospitality, but it's important to respect their customs and the natural environment. Practice aloha in all your interactions.

Conclusion

A vacation in Hawaii, particularly on the island of Oahu, promises an unforgettable experience filled with natural beauty, adventure, and relaxation. By choosing the best property management in Oahu, you ensure your trip is smooth and enjoyable. So, pack your bags, book your ideal rental, and get ready for a happy vacation in paradise! The best property management in Oahu awaits to make your Hawaiian dream come true.

Check out - https://www.happyvacationshawaii.com/

[robertshawaiii]

Honolulu Airport To Waikiki | Robertshawaii.com

Robertshawaii.com allows you to enjoy the splendour of Hawaii. Plan your smooth transfer from Honolulu Airport to Waikiki to get the most out of your trip.

honolulu airport to waikiki

[toplimohawaii]

Airport Transfer Honolulu

Say goodbye to the hassle of finding a reliable ride after a long flight. Top Limo Hawaii provides top-notch airport transfer services in Honolulu, ensuring you arrive at your destination in comfort and style. Our skilled chauffeurs will greet you at the airport, handle your luggage, and take you directly to your hotel or other destination. Book now! 

[executive-chauffeur-hawaii]

Travel in private cars in Hawaii and Honolulu and get comfortable in your vacations

private tours of Oahu in HAWAII are available for your conveyance to any place with prompt and comfortable transfers. One of the best facilities at the Airport is a Limo service. There are many service providers for Limo.

[fareferryflights]

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🌴🏖 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐋𝐮𝐱𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝟒 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐢 🌴🏖 ��� 𝘼𝙞𝙧𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩: LAX (Los Angeles Airport ) to HNL (Honolulu) ✈️ ⚡🕘 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝑫𝒂𝒕𝒆 : 𝟎𝟐-𝟎𝟔 𝐅𝐞𝐛 ⚡ 🌆 𝙃𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙡 : OHANA Waikiki East by Outrigger ⭐ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝘆 : 3* 🛌🏻 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲: Double 🍴 𝑩𝒐𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒔: 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲: $𝟖𝟏𝟗 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 ➡ 𝐄𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞: https://bit.ly/2tknNzR ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---𝑹𝒐𝒐𝒎 𝑭𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆: 𝐎𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐀 𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐤𝐢 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 --- ✔️Day 1. Welcome to Honolulu! ✔️Day 2. Salute to Pearl Harbor ✔️Day 3. Zoo (Honolulu) ✔️Day 4. Waterpark fun ✔️Day 5. Depart Hawaii Fly Home --------------------------------------------------------- 🌟 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 🌟 ✔️Accommodation for 4 Nights in Honolulu ✔️Daily Breakfast at the Hotel ✔️Round-trip Basic economy class airfare to Hawaii (HNL) from Los Angeles (LAX) ✔️Return Airport Transfers ✔️4 nights in Hawaii at the OHANA Waikiki East by Outrigger (Standard Room) 🌟 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 🌟 ✔️Airline Baggage ✔️Any other item not mentioned in Package inclusions ✔️Resort Fee --------------------------------------------------------------------- ➡ For more details: 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝘄 ☎️ +𝟭-𝟴𝟰𝟰-𝟴𝟵𝟭-𝟲𝟭𝟱𝟳

[irvinenewshq]

Hawaiian Airways will attain extra islands via take care of commuter service

It’s getting even simpler to journey to Hawaii and between the Hawaiian islands. This week, Hawaiian Airways and Mokulele, a Southern Airways-owned commuter airline based mostly within the state introduced an interline ticketing settlement that may make journey between the Hawaiian islands extra seamless. The settlement will permit passengers to guide itineraries that embrace each Hawaiian and Mokulele flights on the identical reservation. Since venturing past Honolulu and Hawaii’s largest cities is a giant a part of actually experiencing all of the state’s islands have to supply, this settlement is actually one which passengers would possibly wish to contemplate in planning journeys to one of the crucial well-liked locations within the U.S. New interline settlement Contemplating Mokulele’s 10 locations and 150 each day flights between the Hawaiian islands and Hawaiian Airways’ two dozen abroad locations, the settlement ought to give passengers a wider vary of choices for reserving all legs of their journey to Hawaii directly. It comes at a very good time, too. About two years in the past, Hawaiian lower passenger service with its Ohana by Hawaiian subsidiary on the top of the pandemic. That meant fewer connections for Hawaiian Airways passengers seeking to attain sure islands following an abroad flight. This deal helps make a few of the state’s locations like Moloaki, Lanai and Kapalua reachable once more, with out the necessity for reserving a separate itinerary; a key step towards extra seamless journey for Hawaiian Airways passengers visiting from cities within the U.S., Asia, Australia and New Zealand. “We’re happy to work with Mokulele to make touring to and from Molokai, Lānai and Kapalua simpler for company,” Theo Panagiotoulias, Hawaiian Airways’ senior vp for international gross sales and alliances stated in an announcement this week. Associated: Off the crushed path: suggestions for visiting Molokai, Hawaii The seashore in Molokai, Hawaii. DARREN MURPH/THE POINTS GUY The way it works When you’re a traveler headed to Hawaii from the continental U.S., maybe the most important manner this settlement will make your travels simpler is you can guide your flight to Hawaii and a brief hop to a different island all with one reservation via Hawaiian Airways. Join our each day e-newsletter You’ll make a connection at one of many state’s largest airports — possible Honolulu’s Daniel Okay. Inouye Worldwide Airport (HNL) — however then you definately’ll proceed on to your Mokulele-operated flight to a special island. Like with different codeshare agreements, you’ll get your boarding move for all flights on the outset of your journey. When you test baggage, when touring to or from the continental U.S., it is going to be transferred onto your subsequent airplane identical to it might be on any regular flight connection. MEDIA NEWS GROUP/LONG BEACH PRESS-TELEGRAM/GETTY IMAGES Moreover, in the event you run into some form of bother in your journey, rebooking or getting compensation for inns, floor transportation and the like might be lots simpler in comparison with when you might have totally different legs booked on separate reservations. Backside line A part of planning an ideal journey to Hawaii contains visiting a number of islands to really expertise all of the state has to supply. This interline settlement with a commuter airline will bolster the choices Hawaiian has for visiting some key locations with out having to take care of a number of reservations. Learn extra: Originally published at Irvine News HQ

[toplimohawaii01]

Honolulu Airport to Hotel Shuttle

Need a hassle-free transfer from Honolulu Airport to Shuttle? Our service provides convenient and reliable transportation. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenic route as we take you from the airport straight to your accommodation.

[sectransecurity]

4 Best Features You Can Check in the Best Limo Transport Service

Are you looking for a luxurious way to travel? If so, then you should consider hiring a limousine service. Limousine services can provide a comfortable and luxurious experience while travelling. https://toplimohawaii445.medium.com/4-best-features-you-can-check-in-the-best-limo-transport-service-7a9f9db3d65a

[gogoprivatetours]

How Do I Make Use Of Honolulu Airport Transfers Shuttles?

Hawaii is an ever-popular tourist destination both with Americans and those traveling from overseas. The majority of travelers arrive at Honolulu International airport, an entry point for both tourists and those arriving on business. Getting around after leaving the airport is a big concern for many visitors to the island, and there are practical considerations that may affect the type of transportation chosen. It is not always easy to make the right choice when trying to decide between transportation options when looking at the best way to make Honolulu airport transfers to a hotel, and Waikiki Airport Shuttle is here to offer travelers some advice. Major Forms Of Transportation Honolulu is a modern city and has many different transportation options available in the city, and across the wider island of Oahu. This includes vehicle rental, taxi, public transportation, and private shuttle services. There are difficulties and advantages to all of these, although the shuttle is probably the one that is most preferred by tourists who have considered their choices and made a selection based upon their comfort and the needs of those traveling with them. For example, although the buses are described by Go Hawaii as “fares are reasonable, routes are extensive and there are special visitor passes”, there are problems with transportation for those with disabilities or with excess or unusual baggage. Many tourists come to Hawaii with surfboards, which are sometimes not allowed on the bus. This would rule out public transportation options for many visitors. It should also be noted with car rental is that there is a high demand for these vehicles and a limited supply, so these need to be reserved some time in advance. Private Hire Vehicles The majority of people arriving at Honolulu airport planning to go directly to the hotel choose private hire vehicles. This might include a taxi service, which is slightly different in Hawaii. While you can hire a taxi, in the majority of places including the airport, shopping centers, and the business district there are taxi stands, and hailing a cab is much less common. As an alternative to the taxi, many tourists looking for a transfer between the airport and their hotel choose a private hire shuttle service. This provides a convenient and affordable transportation service that can be pre-booked and is more convenient than taxi stands or queuing for the bus, particularly after a long journey on a plane. Choose The Right Shuttle For Honolulu Airport Transfers A shuttle to the major hotels from the airport is the best way to get the vacation off to the best possible start. Available shuttles can be hired in advance, so they are waiting for the plane when it lands. This makes it much more convenient for first-time tourists. Find out getting the very best service by speaking to Waikiki Airport Shuttle today, either by contacting us through our online form or by calling us at 808-436-0005 now.

[freehawaii]

THE US OWES HAWAIIANS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF LAND - THE US CONGRESS MADE SURE THE DEBT WASNʻT PAID

By Rob Perez, Honolulu Star-Advertiser/ProPublica ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. In the 1990s, Hawaii’s two elder statesmen — U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka — were at the forefront of efforts to ensure that the U.S. compensated Native Hawaiians for ancestral lands taken from them over the years. “Dan Inouye believed that a promise made should be a promise kept,” Akaka, a Native Hawaiian, said in 2012 upon the death of his longtime Senate colleague. But an investigation by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and ProPublica has found that those same senators voted several times each to support must-pass legislation that included provisions undermining efforts to repay millions of dollars in land debt to Hawaiians. At least six other current and former members of Hawaii’s congressional delegation have supported such legislation one or more times. Between them, Hawaii’s members of Congress voted for at least six laws authorizing the federal government to sell dozens of excess properties to private parties rather than offering them to a Hawaiian trust established to repatriate the land. In one must-pass military spending bill spanning more than 500 pages, lawmakers slipped in a single sentence that helped a handful of nonprofits to acquire the land. In another, they added language that effectively put the need for military housing ahead of the need for housing Hawaiians. The circumvention of the landmark 1995 Hawaiian Home Lands Recovery Act, which has not been previously reported, sent the excess lands to a variety of buyers instead: the Catholic Church; the nonprofit operator of a private school; a developer that intends to sell a site to another company with plans to construct hundreds of private-sector homes there. The transactions mostly involved lands on Oahu, the state’s most populous island, and were executed during a period in which the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, which manages the trust, faced a severe shortage of developable residential land there. About 11,000 Hawaiians are now seeking residential homesteads on Oahu, nearly double what the figure was when the recovery act passed. As the Star-Advertiser and ProPublica reported in December, the trust has only enough land to accommodate less than a third of those homestead-seekers in single-family homes, although it is moving to develop more multi-family housing. Many waitlisters are homeless, and thousands have died without getting a homestead lease. Even as the federal government was selling excess properties to private buyers, it offered only two parcels to the trust over the past decade, according to the news organizations’ investigation. And one was for a remote mountainside location that DHHL rejected because it determined that the property — a former solar observatory — wasn’t suitable for residential use or to lease for other purposes. The findings confirmed the suspicions of Mike Kahikina, who said he had a hunch something was amiss during the eight years he served on the Hawaiian Homes Commission, which decides policy for DHHL. Kahikina joined the commission in 2011, 16 years after the recovery act was signed. Along with eight other commissioners, his job was to help the department get beneficiaries onto residential, ranching and farming homesteads in a timely way — a task DHHL has struggled with historically. By the time he left in 2019, the federal government’s debt was the same size as when he joined. Kahikina said he periodically raised questions with DHHL about the land debt, but they were never satisfactorily answered. The news organizations shared their findings with Kahikina — an Air Force veteran, former state legislator, ordained minister and outreach worker for troubled youth — as he sat outside the West Oahu homestead residence that has been in his family for three generations. With his long salt-and-pepper hair tied back in a bun, Kahikina, who now heads the Association of Hawaiians for Homestead Lands, a statewide nonprofit organization of waitlisters, was stunned as he learned details of the private deals. “You connected the dots for me,” he said, repeating himself to emphasize the point. “It’s like we’re an invisible people.” The investigation relied on federal, state and county records and revealed nearly 40 deals over the past decade involving about 520 acres, all authorized by special language inserted into at least six bills passed by Congress. Beyond the Catholic Church, the developer and the private school operator, the special legislation also allowed land deals with a veterans association, individual homebuyers, another nonprofit private school operator and several religious organizations. Had it not been for that legislation, advocates say the recovery act could have allowed some of these same entities to access the land while benefiting DHHL at the same time. That’s because under the recovery act, DHHL is permitted to sell certain properties for fair market value and use the proceeds for homestead development. The Navy, which had owned the majority of lands involved in the private deals, defended its actions. The special legislation expressed the intent of Congress at the time, and if a new law conflicted with a prior one, the new one applied, according to a spokesperson. “Navy followed the law,” she wrote. The General Services Administration, which plays a key role in federal land disposal, would not address criticisms about bypassing the recovery act. But in response to a letter from one of Hawaii’s two current U.S. senators, a GSA official acknowledged that congressional actions — a reference to the special legislation — allowed some agencies to bypass the recovery act. William J. Aila Jr., who now heads DHHL and the Hawaiian Homes Commission, said the congressionally approved workarounds deprived the trust of promising development opportunities. “It’s a conscious effort to go around the spirit of the recovery act,” Aila said in an interview. “Somebody had to consciously propose legislation.” Aila also said that some of the Oahu parcels that were sold would have been especially appealing to the commission because they were relatively flat and already had roads and utility connections. The high costs of installing such systems have contributed to DHHL’s slow pace in developing homesteads in recent years. “It wasn’t the department that was deprived,” Aila said. “It was the beneficiaries and the people on the waitlist.” Inouye and Akaka were widely known as strong advocates for Native Hawaiians and were credited with helping secure passage of major legislation benefiting Hawaii’s indigenous people, including the recovery act and bills related to health care and education. But extensive reporting on the special legislation did not turn up evidence that Inouye, Akaka or other legislators publicly addressed the potential impact on the debt. For their part, Hawaii’s current U.S. senators vowed to stop the practice of workarounds — even though both voted years earlier for legislation allowing it. They said they hadn’t realized at the time that the trust effectively would be left out the loop. Beneficiaries also said they didn’t know Congress was shortchanging the trust all these years. Many greeted the news with shock. “My heart’s broken,” said Ian Lee Loy, who lives on a Big Island homestead and served on the commission from 2011 to 2013. “The promises to Native Hawaiians continue to go unfilled while the political machine keeps churning and deals are made.” More Land Still Owed The circumvention of the recovery act is only the latest chapter in the struggle by Native Hawaiians to reclaim their lands. The U.S. debt to Hawaiians began accruing in the 1890s, after the U.S.-supported overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. In 1898, when the U.S. annexed the island chain, it took possession of 1.8 million uncompensated acres of former kingdom land. In 1921, as a form of reparation, Congress adopted the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, creating a trust of 203,000 acres from among those taken. In promoting the act, Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana‘ole, considered the father of the program, referred to the destitute conditions that many families lived in, particularly those in urban tenements. “That is why the race is fast dying out,” he said in advocating for the bill. “These conditions stare the Hawaiian people in the face.” The new law authorized the government to issue 99-year land leases to people who are at least 50% Hawaiian for $1 annually. In the decades that followed, the state and federal governments took control of thousands of those acres for public purposes — roads, airports, schools, military uses — again paying little or no compensation. The recovery act was specifically meant to compensate for over 1,400 acres the U.S. was using without authorization. Under the act, the trust must be notified whenever most federal land in Hawaii is designated “excess,” or unneeded, by a federal agency. That designation triggers a screening process in which other federal agencies are given an opportunity to claim the land. It also triggers a requirement that the Department of Defense or GSA notify the chair of the Hawaiian Homes Commission of a potential acquisition candidate. If no other federal agency claims the land, the trust has the option to acquire the parcel. If that option is exercised, the land value is deducted from the outstanding debt. The new law kicked off rounds of negotiations about how to settle that debt. Because not all acres are created equal, the two sides focused on land values and eventually signed a landmark agreement to settle all claims: The federal government would transfer to the trust nine properties totaling 960 acres, roughly comparable in value to the 1,400 acres in question. The land was almost all on Oahu and described in news coverage as prime land. At a 1998 signing ceremony at the Hawaii governor’s residence, the Royal Hawaiian Band entertained a crowd of VIP guests. The newly inked settlement was hailed as a turning point for the trust. But things haven’t turned out that way. The trust has not received about 70 acres, including 47 that were removed from the settlement. Two other parcels have yet to be transferred because of a variety of environmental or other complications. DHHL staff last year told the commission that the land debt was worth between $24 million and nearly $34 million in 1998 values, which is how the department tracks the debt. That equates to roughly $39 million to $55 million in today’s dollars. What’s more, some trust beneficiaries — those who are at least half Hawaiian — believe the homesteading program is due more compensation because of the relatively poor quality of the nearly 900 acres it has received thus far. None of that land has been used for residential homesteads, according to DHHL, mostly due to the location or condition of the property or the prohibitive cost of installing infrastructure. The land is largely being used for industrial purposes. The federal government did offer, last year, an 80-acre site in Ewa Beach, a former tsunami warning center surrounded by residential neighborhoods and a golf course, along the West Oahu coastline. Hundreds of homes could be developed there, and DHHL said it accepts the offer. If, as expected, the acquisition goes through, the federal government still would owe DHHL more than $11 million worth of land in today’s dollars. When the Department of the Interior, which oversees the trust for the federal government but doesn’t decide which lands are offered to DHHL, was asked why a balance still remained after 25 years, a spokesman in a December statement gave three reasons. The first was that few excess lands have become available since 2000. The second was that the trust declined several offerings because of contamination or other concerns. And the third? The impact of the congressional workarounds. Making the Workarounds Explicit Inouye, a decorated Army veteran who lost his right arm during World War II and went on to become a political legend in Hawaii, was a key figure in winning passage of the recovery act. But the new reporting shows that he also played a critical role in the creation of the workarounds. One key example came in the 2000s, when nonprofit organizations near Pearl Harbor unsuccessfully tried to purchase the lands they had long been leasing from the Navy. They turned to Inouye for help. By the late 2000s, Inouye was one of the most powerful members of Congress, eventually becoming chair of the influential Appropriations Committee and the Senate’s president pro tempore, third in line for succession to the U.S. presidency. The nonprofits had built churches, schools and other facilities on the land, and they told his staff they wanted to remain. In interviews, the nonprofits said that after they contacted his office, Inouye in 2009 got language added to the annual military spending bill that enabled the organizations to purchase their leased lands from the Navy for fair market value. Two years later, Inouye added language — a single sentence — to a 566-page spending bill, adding a “clarification of land conveyance” to the 2009 law, specifically exempting those land sales from the recovery act, according to his former chief of staff, Jennifer Sabas. Sabas said in an email that her memory of how the exemption provision came together was fuzzy, but she recalled several lessees had contacted the senator’s office seeking assistance in acquiring the land. Because they had invested so much in those locations over the decades, “he wanted to provide them the opportunity to stay,” Sabas wrote. At the time, Sabas added, Inouye believed other nearby Navy parcels would become available and DHHL could pursue those if interested. But no such offers were made to the trust, according to GSA and Navy records. The Navy told the Star-Advertiser and ProPublica that all the lands covered by that special legislation were acquired by the nonprofits. Through the 2009 and 2011 legislation, six churches, a veterans group and a private school operator purchased more than 20 acres from the Navy between 2013 and 2019, generating roughly $9 million for the federal government, according to public records. That money did not go to the trust. Several of the nonprofits said they were unaware that the land sales had been exempted from the recovery act until they were contacted recently by the Star-Advertiser and ProPublica. Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick of the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii, which acquired its nearly 3-acre site in 2016 thanks to the special legislation, said that had the diocese known that the trust and its beneficiaries were left out of the process, the church would have reconsidered the purchase. He noted that the church was founded in Hawaii in the 1860s with the aid of the monarchy. “Respecting Hawaiian sovereignty is a core value for us,” he said. Hawaii’s former U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, who voted for the 2009 bill authorizing the land sales, didn’t recall the trust issue being raised at all. “It certainly never occurred to me,” said Abercrombie, who vacated his congressional seat in 2010 to begin a four-year term as governor. “I thought we were doing a good deed.” In addition to the Inouye efforts, one other bill explicitly included a recovery-act exemption. The military spending measure in 2013 authorized the sale of an 11-acre parcel at Navy Hale Keiki School to its nonprofit operator. The exemption language — inserted into the 494-page National Defense Authorization Act — was a copy of what Inouye had put in the 2011 bill, allowing the Navy to convey title to the land before it is “made available for transfer pursuant to the Hawaiian Home Lands Recovery Act.” Robin Danner, chair of the Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations, the largest statewide organization representing those eligible for the homesteading program, blamed Hawaii’s congressional delegation and DHHL for the lost opportunities. She pointed out that DHHL basically has two main federal laws to monitor and said its failure to flag the circumventions was glaring. “This would not have happened if DHHL had been doing its job,” she said. Kahikina, the former commissioner, agreed, saying no one from the agency was aggressively monitoring the situation, enabling the private deals to continue under the radar. Aila, however, pushed back on this point. He said DHHL doesn’t have the staff to monitor all federal legislation, but that it periodically asked GSA about the availability of property. He also pointed out that the recovery act requires the federal government to notify the trust as excess lands become available. A More Indirect Route In addition to the two explicit exemptions, several other pieces of special legislation did not mention the recovery act but had the same end result: The federal government transferred excess lands without offering them to the trust. Many of those acres were in Kalaeloa, part of the region where DHHL has been concentrating development on Oahu in recent years. Close to a dozen other parcels on Maui and the Big Island were in residential neighborhoods. Critics pointed out that the residential quality of the land represented lost opportunities for the trust’s future housing plans. Two of the laws benefitted Hunt Cos., a Texas-based developer that has done Hawaii projects for more than a quarter of a century. Legislation that Congress passed in 1999 and 2006 authorized the Navy to sell or lease land on Oahu to pay for redevelopment of Ford Island, a historic Navy base in Pearl Harbor. Hunt issued a brief statement acknowledging the acquisition of Navy properties but declined to respond to criticisms over the deals. Alan Murakami, who recently retired as an attorney for the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., a nonprofit advocacy group, drew on history to criticize the property deals. Given that the Navy never properly owned the Kalaeloa lands, it “had no moral right to treat [them] as a piggy bank,” he said. Abercrombie, who as a Hawaii congressman and member of the House Armed Services Committee was a key advocate for the 1999 Ford Island legislation, also questioned the Navy’s actions, saying the law was designed to keep all the land in use for military housing. Once the property was placed for sale without maintaining that use, it should have been offered to the trust, Abercrombie added. “It’s crystal clear the Navy had that obligation,” he said. Asked to respond to the criticisms, the Navy spokesperson said the Ford Island law “speaks for itself.” Quoting from the statute, she noted that it was enacted “for the purpose of developing or facilitating the development of Ford Island.” “A Slap in the Face” Just as the workaround deals were picking up momentum, Bode Kalua, 28, a landscaper who is at least half Hawaiian, applied through DHHL for a residential homestead on Oahu. He wanted a place to call home for the family he planned to eventually start. In 2012, DHHL added him to the waitlist, more than 10,000 spaces from the top. Since then, he’s moved up roughly 700 spots, a pace that will keep him waiting for years. Kalua, now the father of three young kids with a fourth on the way, said the circumventions prolonged the waits for applicants ahead of him. He is renting a home on Oahu’s windward side but, like many other lower-income applicants on the waitlist, he and his family have spent time homeless. And the private deals were made during a period in which DHHL’s residential awards fell to record lows, hitting single digits in recent years, as the Star-Advertiser and ProPublica reported last year. “It’s even worse than just a broken promise,” Kalua said of the workarounds. “It’s like a slap in the face.” Sharon Pua Freitas, 55, who applied for an Oahu residential homestead a year after Kalua, shares his disdain. “It bothers me to my core because that was the land that the United States of America illegally took to begin with,” said Freitas, who is more than 9,000 slots deep on the waitlist and has yet to receive a homestead offer. “Now it’s still in somebody else’s hands.” Senators Vow Change Both of Hawaii’s current U.S. senators have voted for legislation to circumvent the recovery act, but they now say they will take steps to ensure the trust isn’t bypassed going forward. “I won’t defend the circumvention of the recovery act,” Sen. Brian Schatz, chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, which deals with Native Hawaiian issues, said in an early March interview. “It’s something that I was just made aware of, and I don’t think it should happen going forward.” Schatz voted for the 2013 military spending bill that included one of the two explicit recovery act exemptions and allows a sale to the operator of Hale Keiki school near Pearl Harbor. “I will scour every must-pass bill for anything like this to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said. Sen. Mazie Hirono, who voted for the 2011 legislation with the exemption sentence, said she too was unaware of the implications of the measures for DHHL. “It’s clear there’s a gap here that shouldn’t have existed,” she said in an interview. Prompted by the news organizations’ inquiry, she recently wrote to the heads of the DOD and GSA, the federal agencies required to notify the trust of excess lands, expressing alarm that the state agency wasn’t being properly notified. A senior Pentagon official wrote back to Hirono, saying his office would review the military’s processes for disposing of property in Hawaii “to ensure each is fully consistent” with the recovery act and the 1998 settlement agreement. He also named a liaison within the department to deal directly with DHHL. GSA, which did not comment about the news organizations’ findings, told Hirono that the agency would work with the trust to resolve outstanding recovery-act claims — an apparent continuation of the status quo. “As noted in your letter, GSA is aware of specific congressional actions that have also allowed some landholding agencies to bypass the HHLRA to achieve other goals,” Gianelle Rivera, an associate administrator, wrote in her April 19 letter to the senator. Beneficiaries, lawmakers and others say the best way to prevent the circumvention problem is twofold: Don’t pass legislation allowing that to happen and make sure the federal government notifies DHHL when any excess lands become available.