Japanese Visitors See Staggering DelaysDeparting Passengers Waiting Four HoursUPDATED: 5:38 pm HST September 15, 2001 HONOLULU -- They started arriving at the departure area of Honolulu Airport before 5 a.m. But it didn't matter. If you were one of the thousands of Japanese visitors desperately trying to leave Honolulu on Saturday, you were probably waiting for three, maybe four hours. And sometimes, even that didn't work."They look so dissatisfied," Lloyd Fuji of JTB Tours said. "They were supposed to go home today and they find out at the last minute they can't go home."Some 10,000 Japanese visitors are believed to have been stranded in Hawaii because of Tuesday's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Airport workers told KITV4 News that the lines were the longest that they've ever seen.
Honolulu police, state sheriffs, national guard troops and private security guards have been posted throughout Honolulu Airport. As part of the stepped-up security, curbside check-in has been eliminated, only passengers will be allowed into boarding areas and cars entering parking garages will be searched.In addition, scanning machines have been added at check-in counters and identifications are being re-checked at security areas, causing long lines. All passengers will be required to check-in in the terminal, including those with electronic tickets. All gate check-in has been discontinued by order of the FAA.However, the state has resumed normal traffic patterns at Honolulu Airport.Officials urge all passengers to call their airlines directly before heading to the airport. They are also urged to check in for flights at least three hours before overseas flights, 90 minutes prior to interisland flights.An FAA spokeswoman indicated that the department's Air Marshal program has taken affect. That program places an armed U.S. Marshal on board certain flights. Previous Stories:
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But it didn't matter. If you were one of the thousands of Japanese visitors desperately trying to leave Honolulu on Saturday, you were probably waiting for three, maybe four hours. And sometimes, even that didn't work."They look so dissatisfied," Lloyd Fuji of JTB Tours said. "They were supposed to go home today and they find out at the last minute they can't go home."Some 10,000 Japanese visitors are believed to have been stranded in Hawaii because of Tuesday's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Airport workers told KITV4 News that the lines were the longest that they've ever seen. 
Honolulu police, state sheriffs, national guard troops and private security guards have been posted throughout Honolulu Airport. As part of the stepped-up security, curbside check-in has been eliminated, only passengers will be allowed into boarding areas and cars entering parking garages will be searched.In addition, scanning machines have been added at check-in counters and identifications are being re-checked at security areas, causing long lines. All passengers will be required to check-in in the terminal, including those with electronic tickets. All gate check-in has been discontinued by order of the FAA.However, the state has resumed normal traffic patterns at Honolulu Airport.Officials urge all passengers to call their airlines directly before heading to the airport. They are also urged to check in for flights at least three hours before overseas flights, 90 minutes prior to interisland flights.An FAA spokeswoman indicated that the department's Air Marshal program has taken affect. That program places an armed U.S. Marshal on board certain flights.






