Hawaiian waives change fees for Kauai flyers affected by flooding

Hawaiian Airlines is waiving reservation change fees for customers holding tickets to travel to and from Lihue from Saturday through Monday because of heavy rain and flooding on Kauai over the weekend, the airline announced.

To be eligible for the onetime reservation change waiver, a passenger must have been booked for travel between Saturday and Monday. Changes must be made for the same class of service and places of departure and destination for new flights no later than April 23.

For changes after April 23, the change fee will be waived by an applicable difference in airfare will be collected. Normal refund rules apply.

All changes must be made by calling Hawaiian Airlines’ Reservations Department at (800) 367-5320.

Travelers should check www.HawaiianAirlines.com for the latest information on scheduled flights.

On Sunday, Gov. David Ige issued an emergency proclamation for Kauai after National Weather Service reports of nearly 27 inches of rain in 24 hours in Hanalei.

Helicopter search-and-rescue operations were launched Sunday. About a half-dozen people were trapped by rising waters in Hanalei.

The Kauai Emergency Management Agency reported there had been torrential rainfall in north and east Kauai and that Kuhio Highway would remain closed in the vicinity of Hanalei Bridge until damage can be inspected and it can be declared safe for vehicles to cross. It said communities west of Princeville had been cut off from the rest of the island, and several roads from Hanalei to Haena were washed out.

Ige and Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho conducted a video teleconference Monday morning from Kauai Emergency Management’s operations center.

Ige pledged continued state support for search-and-rescue efforts.

“The Hawaii National Guard was deployed yesterday, and I am committed to identifying and mobilizing additional state assets needed to keep the community safe,” he said. “Now that the weather appears to have cleared, our top priority is to get to people who need medical attention and relief supplies. Once that is taken care of, we will assess the damage and determine how to quickly restore services. Access continues to be a challenge given the number of landslides in the area.”

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of State Parks reported that flooding from the rainstorm closed the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park, Haena State Park, Polihale State Park and portions of the Wailua River State Park.

There were an estimated 30 campers stranded in the Kalalau section of the Napali Coast wilderness area, the department said.

Parks officials said they expected the Haena and Napali Coast areas to remain closed indefinitely because of extensive storm damage to access roads.

Ige and Carvalho took an air tour with emergency personnel to inspect flooded areas aboard a Hawaii National Guard Black Hawk helicopter.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz issued the following statement: “Communities on Oahu and Kauai are starting to clean up the damage done by the flooding this weekend, but they need as much help as they can get. I have reached out to the appropriate federal agencies . . . and let them know where we stand. They are ready to answer the call once Gov. Ige, Mayor (Kirk) Caldwell and Mayor Cravalho request assistance.”