The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the House Committee on Transportation on March 20, 2025.
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March 20, 2025, 10:15 a.m.
Hawaii State Capitol
Conference Room 430 and Videoconference
To: House Committee on Transportation
Rep. Darius K. Kila, Chair
Rep. Tina Nakada Grandinetti, Vice Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns
RE: TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF HR116/HCR120 — REQUESTING THE AIRPORTS DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING AND IMPLEMENTING A CORPORATION TO MANAGE THE STATE’S AIRPORTS.
Aloha Chair Kila, Vice-Chair Grandinetti and other members of the Committee,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii would like to offer its support for HR116/HCR120, which requests that the state Department of Transportation convene a task force to explore the feasibility of implementing a corporation to manage Hawaii’s airports.
This resolution represents the first step in a long-overdue, much-needed change. Given the importance of air travel and tourism to Hawaii’s economy, efficient airport management should be a high priority for the state, especially since currently, Hawaii airports are consistently rated poorly compared to other U.S. airports.
Indeed, Honolulu International Airport in particular recently ranked as the fourth-worst large airport in North America[1] and Kahului Airport as one of the worst medium-sized airports.[2]
Unfortunately, any effort to improve Hawaii’s airports must navigate a complicated structure of stakeholders and state agencies, a process that is both inefficient and costly.
Creating a corporation that could take over the management of the airports would allow for more streamlined and efficient airport operations. Moreover, an airport corporation would be more responsive and flexible than the current, bureaucratic system of management. This would allow problems to be dealt with more quickly and at lower cost.
The lack of a centralized airport operations and management has held back innovation and improvements in Hawaii’s airports, and it is no coincidence that Hawaii is one of only a few states without an independent airport authority.[3]
We urge you to pass this resolution.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Ted Kefalas
Director of Strategic Campaigns
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
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[1] “North America Airport Satisfaction Study: Large Airports” J.D. Power, 2024.
[2] “North America Airport Satisfaction Study: Medium Airports” J.D. Power, 2023.
[3] Civil Beat Editorial Board, “47 States Have An Airport Authority — Why Not Hawaii?” Honolulu Civil Beat, Jan. 10, 2017.
