Passengers try to rest and sleep after canceled and delayed flights while others wait to board flights off the island as thousands of passengers were stranded at the Kahului Airport (OGG) in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui in Kahului, Hawaii on August 9, 2023. Patrick T. Fallon | AFP | Getty ImagesAirlines added flights to get travelers off of Maui after wildfires on the Hawaiian island killed at least 36 people and prompted evacuations.American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines said they were adding service to help customers leave. More than 11,000 people have been flown off the island since the fires began, Ed Sniffen, the state’s transportation director, told a news conference late Wednesday local time, NBC News reported. Much of the seaside town of Lahaina had burned down, after the fires were fanned by winds from a hurricane.Hawaiian Airlines discouraged travelers without reservations from coming to Kahului Airport in Maui because of crowding.”While we are currently operating our full schedule and have seats available on flights out of Maui today, we are concentrating our resources on transporting essential personnel and first responders,” the carrier said. It also warned of possible disruptions on other routes “as we work to support essential travel needs for Maui.”An Americ …
