Plans and visions for Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole were presented Tuesday to U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele during his multi-day tour of West Hawaii sites.
Kahele started his tour Monday by visiting the Ulu Co-op, Kona Community Hospital, Adaptations, the Captain Cook Post Office, Lions Gate Coffee and Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park. On Tuesday, in addition to touring the airport, he visited Palani Ranch, the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, and the Hawaii County Department of Water Supply.
Chauncey Wong Yuen, Hawaii district manager for the state Department of Transportation’s Airports Division, briefed Kahele on current and future projects at the airport, including negotiations for a lease to house a 120,000-square-foot Amazon distribution center, which is about three times the size of the Federal Inspection Services building that recently opened.
Currently, Amazon is using tents to offload their daily flights. If a lease can be negotiated, the new facility would be located on the north end, near the control tower and service the entire state. Wong Yuen said that area will eventually house air cargo services as well.
Kahele touted President Joe Biden’s Infratructure bill, which includes $15 billion over five years, allotted to airports nationwide with $43 million aimed for Hawaii airports. Some $6 million is earmarked for Kona to address the backlog in airport modernization and safety projects.
“That money can be used for common use areas, runways, taxiways, lighting and roads. It can also be used for sustainability projects,” he said. “The infrastructure bill is a once in a generational investment for the nation to build airports that are safer and more sustainable and help people connect to jobs and vacations and families all over the country and Kona is a big part of that.”
Kahele said the $6 million coming to Kona is a first installment, but could not provide how much funding will follow.
Wong Yuen said the state is currently working on a design to rehabilitate the facility’s lone runway. That project is expected to start in 2023, and that is where part of the money will go.
“$6 million will be wiped out by the runway alone,” said Wong Yuen.
Recently completed projects include an air conditioned holding area for gate 11, two new hangars for General Aviation and the new Federal Inspection Station, which was finished last fall, however, it hasn’t been used because of the lack of international flights amid ongoing COVID-19 travel restrictions for international travelers.
Future projects include removing all of the U.S. Department of Agriculture checkpoints in the lobby, with a new section centralized in the back of house, just like the Transportation Security Administration.
Another priority is to put out a request for proposal for a hotel to be built on airport land. DoubleTree, Holiday Inn Express and Cambria Choice Hotel have expressed interest in having a presence at the state’s second international gateway.
The hotel development is slated to be located across the street from the rental car stations, however, Wong Yuen said other places could be designated between NELHA and the airport.
“There is development that can be had, nicely tucked away that can generate income for the airport system,” Wong Yuen said.
A fixed-base operator jet center is being developed incrementally, and based on the number of private jets that landed in Kona last year, a needed facility.
“Our corporate jet traffic last year almost doubled what we carried, having up to 70 jets on the ground at one time,” said Wong Yuen.
He said private jets currently pay $1.70 per 1,000 pounds daily to park at the facility, which equates to approximately $85 to $100.
As the number of passengers and flights coming into Kona increase, expansion will be necessary.
Wong Yuen said long-term plans include adding a second floor to the terminal, including jetways.