Hawaii-bound flyers were hit with a travel nightmare Saturday as Hurricane Lala strengthened near the Big Island, forcing airlines to cancel flights from LAX and slash service across the islands.
Several LAX flights bound for Kona, Maui, Kauai and Honolulu were canceled as the Category 1 storm closed in with 75 mph maximum sustained winds.
Lala was approaching the southern end of the Big Island, where forecasters warned of life-threatening flooding and mudslides.
Higher elevations could see as much as 25 inches of rain, while some areas were already getting drenched at a rate of 2 inches an hour.
The storm could also make Hawaiian history.
If Lala makes landfall, it would be the first hurricane to hit the Big Island in 155 years.
The flight chaos stretched across Hawaii.
Saturday’s service disruptions included:
- Hilo: All service was suspended.
- Kona: All service after 2 p.m. was suspended.
- Kahului, Maui: Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines operated reduced schedules.
- Honolulu, Oahu: Alaska and Hawaiian operated most scheduled flights.
- Lihue, Kauai: Hawaiian operated a reduced schedule.
The cancellations quickly piled up.
A total of 59 neighbor island flights and 18 transpacific flights were canceled Saturday.
Airlines also canceled five neighbor island flights and three transpacific flights for Sunday, as crews prepared for possible worsening conditions.
Officials warned that additional schedule changes were possible as teams assessed the weather and focused on passenger safety.
Travelers were urged to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
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