Q&A: Traveling to Hawaii

Q. I have vacation plans to visit the Big Island this week. Should I cancel my plans?

A. Not necessarily. Officials are still assessing the damage. Guests were evacuated from three hotels, but other resorts remain open. Although the earthquake caused landslides and several highways and bridges are currently undergoing inspection, most roads remain passable. Power has been restored. Contact your hotel, travel provider or rental car agent for more information before determining your travel plans.

Q. I'm going to Oahu, Maui and Kauai. Do I need to worry about anything?

A. Although the earthquake's epicenter was closest to the Big Island, other islands were temporarily affected by electrical outages. Power has been restored to most of the islands now. Travelers to the entire region may experience delays, long lines or canceled flights at airports. Security checkpoints were without power earlier today, so airport personnel were screening passengers and baggage manually. Check flight arrivals and departures to and from Sea-Tac here.

Q. What recourse do I have if an airline cancels my flight? Or if a travel provider cancels my excursion?

A. Airlines will try to put you on the next available flight. They may also provide refunds or allow passengers to postpone travel. Ticket-holders should check with their individual airlines for more information. If you have travel insurance, you may be due compensation for trip interruption or canceled excursions. If you are planning a trip to Hawaii soon, it may not be too late to purchase insurance. InsureMyTrip.org is a Web site that compares policies.

Seattle Times staff and news services