LIHU‘E — Faulty X-ray machines at Lihu‘e Airport led to long waits and high tensions this past week.
Transportation Security Administration spokesperson Daniel Velez reported that two brand new Analogic X-ray machines broke down last week, contributing to an average wait of nearly an hour at peak times Monday.
Contracted security manager Charlie Iona estimated that at certain points wait times were two hours.
The long lines created a stressful atmosphere for passengers and airport security staff. Iona reported that three individuals were arrested on airport grounds this past week.
“You all continue to serve under the most unfavorable conditions,” Iona said in a Facebook post dedicated to his coworkers. “I’ve never had a team that is so easy to manage because you all know your jobs well. This past week we’ve been tested with multiple arrests because of attitudes and impatience. But you all stayed professional even during the tough times.”
One of those arrests was a 58-year-old Miami Beach visitor. According to Kaua‘i Police Department records, they were arrested Sunday for disorderly conduct. KPD did not provide details on the additional two arrests.
“For me and the gang, it’s all about compliance on the federal level and keeping the travelers and workers safe,” Iona told The Garden Island.
By Tuesday, TSA reported that lines had settled down.
“Both units had expedited priority one work orders assigned to them, and one has been repaired,” Velez said Tuesday. “The other will hopefully be completed sometime tomorrow (Wednesday).”
The four new scanning machines, which were installed this June at a cost of $325,000 each, were expected to reduce wait times. The equipment allows passengers to keep items like electronics, liquids and aerosols in their bags as they are scanned.
The machines use sophisticated algorithms to create 3D images of individual items in a carry-on bag, which TSA officers can then rotate 360 degrees to identify threats.
TSA recently awarded a $781.2 million contract for more of the new machines on top of an earlier $200 million contract for a different model of the machines.
A return to pre-pandemic tourism levels may also have contributed to long waits. The latest data from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism shows that the average daily census on Kaua‘i was 34,631 visitors in June 2022, up from 32,986 visitors in June 2019.
Security checkpoints at Lihu‘e Airport are busiest from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with peak travel activity on Thursday through Sunday.
