The Osaka airport closure, triggered by Typhoon Jebi, has upended travel plans for Honolulu-bound passengers as carriers scramble to rebook, refund or reroute impacted travelers.
Airlines serving Hawaiʻi said they are offering options that include delaying trips, waiving change fees, issuing full refunds, or routing customers through other airports after Jebi made landfall Tuesday with sustained winds of about 100 miles per hour, causing widespread damage across Osaka and nearby cities.
Five carriers operate regular service between Honolulu and Osaka: Hawaiian Airlines, Delta Air Lines, AirAsia X, Scoot and Japan Airlines. Those airlines had 167 scheduled flights and 45,385 seats from Osaka to Honolulu this month, according to the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority. Asiana Airlines also flew the route three times earlier this year but had no September service planned.
Osaka airport closure prompts flight changes
Kyodo reported that domestic operations at Kansai International are expected to resume Friday. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said international flights will restart when the airport is ready. The hub in western Japan is a key entry point for visitors heading to Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe.
Hawaiian Airlines said customers may rebook on other Hawaiʻi–Japan flights, including extra service added between Honolulu and Tokyo’s Narita International Airport. The carrier is also waiving change fees for a specified travel window.
Scoot, which operates Singapore–Osaka–Honolulu four times weekly, said affected travelers can postpone to a later date with fare differences and change fees waived, request a full refund, opt for a voucher equal to 120 percent of the ticket value, or reroute to Scoot’s other Japan destinations. For passengers in Osaka, Scoot is offering return travel to Singapore via Narita. For those in Honolulu, Scoot is temporarily operating Honolulu–Singapore nonstop, instead of the usual Honolulu–Osaka–Singapore routing.
AirAsia X, which runs four weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur via Osaka to Honolulu, said customers can reschedule within 14 days of the original departure at no additional cost, choose an alternate routing, receive credit, or obtain a full refund.
Business leaders voiced concern about broader fallout. MUFG Bank analyst Akira Yoshimura told NHK that a prolonged shutdown at Kansai could affect the regional and national economies because the airport serves as a vital trading hub.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
