UPDATE: Kona airport runway has reopened
UPDATED 3:27 p.m.
The Kona airport runway was reopened today at 1:50 p.m., according to the state DOT.
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No flights can arrive or depart Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport until around noon today after a delay in runway repair work.
Beginning today, crews are scheduled to conduct nighttime repairs to the airport’s sole runway between midnight and 6 a.m. until Feb. 27. But this morning’s repairs have gone over time after a mechanical breakdown.
State Department of Transportation spokeswoman Shelly Kunishige said a truck bringing paving materials broke down, requiring contractors to send a replacement vehicle. By the time that arrived, however, Kunishige said the asphalt had cooled, which itself required additional materials to be brought down from Waimea.
“We initially thought we could reopen by 9 a.m.,” Kunishige said. “But now, we’re thinking somewhere around (noon).”
Kunishige said there are six trans-Pacific flights scheduled to arrive in this morning that are impacted by the closure, but was unable to provide the number of interisland flights.
Kunishige said DOT will work with the contractor to prevent such delays from occurring in the future.
