Hawaii Flight Returns to Airport Three Times Before Cancelling

Image: Airplane and Clouds (Photo via Hawaiian Airlines)
Image: Airplane and Clouds (Photo via Hawaiian Airlines)
Alex Temblador
by Alex Temblador
Last updated: 11:22 AM ET, Sat February 2, 2019

Over 200 passengers on a Hawaiian Airlines flight had their hopes crushed in three different attempts to get to Hawaii.

Hawaiian Airlines Flight 33 had 207 passengers aboard headed to Maui's Kahului Airport from Los Angeles International. The plane took off and returned to LAX not once, but three times, due to separate and unrelated faults to different systems.

After the third return, the flight was finally canceled, disappointing 207 passengers.

Despite the experience, all of the passengers were set up on other flights and provided hotel rooms and meal vouchers. They were also refunded and gifted with a $100 credit toward a future flight.

"Safety is our top priority, and we apologize for the inconvenience to all our guests who were aboard Flight 33 from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Maui's Kahului Airport today," Hawaiian Airlines said.

"We understand our guests' disappointment and deeply regret their travel plans were disrupted."

Ultimately, the airline was more concerned with the passengers' safety as the flight is an overseas flight.

"These flights have more rigorous safety requirements because of the greater distance between suitable airports," the airline said.

"When there is an abnormality on an over-land flight it can, and often does, continue to its destination. However, ETOPS flights operate to a more stringent safety standard. Our aircraft have redundant systems, yet our standard is to respond to any indication of abnormalities with an abundance of caution."

This incident follows the tragic death of a Hawaiian Airlines flight attendant mid-air last week.


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