Hawaiian Airlines is canceling some flights in and out of Hilo as Tropical Storm Lala approaches Hawaii Island. A carrier spokesperson told KITV the reductions begin Friday afternoon, with the strongest operational worry being strong and gusty winds.
If you hold interisland tickets through the weekend, treat the Hilo schedule as unstable and use the Lala travel waivers before you pay a change fee. Mainland and international Hawaii flights are still expected to operate normally for now, but that can change with the track.
- What changed: Hawaiian is reducing some Hilo flights for Lala.
- When: Schedule cuts start Friday afternoon, Aug 14.
- Waiver window: Fee-free changes run for eligible travel through Sunday.
- Airports in scope: Hilo is the named cut; Lihue winds are also watched.
- Mainland flights: Hawaiian still expects those to run, subject to updates.
What Hawaiian said about Hilo
In local reporting by KITV Island News, Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson Alex Da Silva said the airline is canceling some flights and plans to reduce part of its schedule beginning Friday afternoon, including some flights in and out of Hilo.
Affected passengers will be offered options that include a refund or rebooking on another flight. Da Silva urged travelers with trips from Friday through the weekend to watch flight status closely rather than assume every flight is canceled just because a storm is near.
Hawaiian is also watching conditions at other airports, including Lihue, where strong winds could create later weekend challenges. Current models still point to normal operations for Hawaii to mainland and international flying, with the same caution that conditions can change.
Mokulele Airlines told KITV it is monitoring Lala and will contact passengers if flights change. Interisland guests on any carrier should recheck status before leaving for the airport.
What the official Lala waiver covers
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian share a flexible travel advisories surface that currently lists a Tropical Storm Lala waiver. The published board covers travel to or from Honolulu (HNL), Hilo (ITO), Kona (KOA), Lihue (LIH), and Maui (OGG).
For that posted Alaska-issued ticket path, tickets purchased on or before August 13, 2026, with original travel August 14 to 16, 2026, can move into new travel dates through August 19, 2026 under the listed exception rules. Changes or cancellations must happen before the original flight departs.
The same page states that the listed exception policy is for tickets issued by Alaska Airlines with ticket numbers beginning with 027. Guests flying on Hawaiian Airlines metal are directed to call Hawaiian at 1-800-367-5320 or use Hawaiian chat or text for help.
Do not mix those paths. An Alaska 027 ticket follows the posted Lala board. A Hawaiian-marketed booking needs Hawaiian care team handling even when the storm is the same event.
Third-party agency tickets still go back to the seller first. The waiver language does not rewrite an Expedia or other airline ticket contract by itself.
How this fits the broader Lala traveler picture
Deep Arrival already published a broader Lala hurricane watch Hawaii flight risk card when the Big Island watch and early delay risk landed. This Hilo cut is the named carrier schedule action that gives interisland passengers a concrete Friday start point.
Cruise guests on Hawaii itineraries have a separate stream. Norwegian’s Pride of America and Norwegian Spirit Lala itinerary changes already have their own live Deep Arrival post and should not be read as Hawaiian Airlines guidance.
Park visitors face another decision set. National Park Service notices for Hawaii Volcanoes trail and road closures are outdoor access rules, not airline seats. Do not use a park blackout as proof that your HNL or OGG flight canceled.
For Big Island base choice after the storm clears, Deep Arrival’s Kona versus Hilo base guide still explains the east and west island tradeoffs once airports and roads reopen.
What to do before you leave for the airport
Check the live flight status on Hawaiian or your operating carrier before you depart for Hilo or any neighbor-island gate. A schedule that looked fine at breakfast can shrink by mid-afternoon as winds rise.
If Hawaiian cancels your segment, take the rebook or refund path the airline offers before buying a same-day full-fare seat on another carrier. Parallel shopping is fine for options, but do not pay twice until the original carrier’s remedy is closed.
If you still need to move voluntarily, use the active Lala waiver rules that match your ticket brand. Keep the same route and cabin when the policy requires it, and finish the change before the original departure time.
Pack for a longer island day even if the flight still shows on time. Gusty wind days create ground delays, late bags, and short connection misses on multi-island trips.
Hotel and car reservations should stay flexible through Sunday when your ticket allows. A free hotel night is cheaper than a no-show fee if Hilo operations pause after you land on Oahu.
What is still unknown this morning
Hawaiian has not published a public flight-number list of every Hilo cancelation in the KITV interview. Travelers must read their own itinerary alerts rather than a single systemwide table.
How long the reduced Hilo bank lasts depends on Lala’s wind field after Friday. A Saturday recovery is possible. A longer neighbor-island cleanup is also possible if gusts damage airport equipment or close roads to the terminal.
Whether Kona absorbs rebooked Hilo passengers is an open capacity question. Do not drive from Hilo to Kona for a same-day mainland connection unless the carrier reissues you onto that routing and the highway is confirmed open.
American Airlines and Southwest have posted their own Hawaii storm tools in recent days. Those are separate brand policies. They do not rewrite a Hawaiian ticket unless you actually hold that brand.
For Hawaiian product context after the storm week, Deep Arrival’s Hawaiian Airlines guide covers the broader network and Atmos Rewards framing, but it is not a live Lala operations board.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Hold a Hilo flight Friday to Sunday | Recheck status, then use the Lala waiver before paying change fees. |
| Were canceled by Hawaiian | Take the rebook or refund path first; do not self-buy a second ticket yet. |
| Hold an Alaska 027 Hawaii ticket | Use the posted Lala board dates and same-cabin rebook rules. |
| Hold a Hawaiian-marketed ticket | Call or chat Hawaiian; do not assume the Alaska 027 board applies. |
| Only fly mainland Hawaii routes | Still monitor status; Hawaiian expects normal ops for now. |
- Friday start: Treat Hilo reductions as live from Friday afternoon onward.
- Waiver first: Change or cancel under Lala rules before buying a new full fare.
- Ticket brand: Alaska 027 and Hawaiian-marketed bookings use different help paths.
- Status habit: Recheck the app before every airport departure this weekend.
- Separate streams: Cruise and park closures do not automatically cancel your flight.
Keep one source of truth for each booking. Refresh Hawaiian or Alaska status, then the hotel or car desk, rather than trusting a social feed about island-wide shutdowns.
Is Hawaiian canceling all Hilo flights for Lala?
No. Hawaiian said it is canceling some flights and reducing part of the Hilo schedule starting Friday afternoon, not grounding every flight.
Through when does the Lala travel waiver run?
KITV reports a Hawaiian fee-free waiver for eligible travel through Sunday. The shared flexible-travel board lists original travel August 14 to 16 for the posted Alaska-ticket path.
Are mainland flights to Hawaii canceled?
Hawaiian told KITV current models show mainland and international Hawaii flying should continue normally, with the chance that conditions change.
What if I bought my ticket on Expedia?
Contact the third-party seller first. Airline waiver pages still require agency-issued tickets to be handled by the original seller in many cases.
