Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNLAir Australia passengers stranded, looking for way out of Hawaii

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Nearly 600 of Air Australia's passengers in Hawaii are scrambling to find flights back home.  Just two months after launching the route from Brisbane to Honolulu, the airline has run out of money and grounded its entire fleet of planes.

"Stuck in Hawaii," said an Air Australia passenger as she gave the shaka to the camera.

While Air Australia passengers were ready to go, unfortunately the airline was not.  The business doesn't have the funds to fly their planes or people back home.

"Leaves me in Honolulu for a few extra days, I guess," said another passenger.

"We don't have any money. I spent my last $5 this morning on breakfast," exclaimed Ella James, stranded passenger. "I feel like we've been abandoned."

Some people will be missing work or school and even weddings.

"Courtney, her sister is getting married tomorrow and she is the bride's maid and she can't get back for the wedding.  She's looked at options to fly to New Zealand and Fiji and stuff to get transferred and there is nothing going through, so she is going to miss her sister's wedding," said James.

Hawaiian Airlines is offering a rescue fare which is a one way flight to Sydney for $300.

"Sydney will do because I don't think you fly to Brisbane do you?" said another passenger as he spoke on the phone with a Hawaiian Airlines operator.

"We're going to have something to eat. We're going to sit down calmly and think about what our next move is going to be because every time I phone one of these numbers they're busy because we're all trying to get flights out of here," said another stranded passenger.

The first Hawaiian Airlines flight to Sydney takes off Friday at 11:50 a.m., which means people will have to find a place to stay Thursday night.

"The hotel I got out of, I know they were filled up when I left. So I don't know what we're going to do but we have a list of hotels and we're just going to have to look it up," said Sandy Carpenter, stranded passenger from Brisbane.

Many travelers didn't want their Hawaii vacation to end, but this wasn't what they meant.

"I don't mind being stuck here. I didn't want to leave but I didn't expect it to turn out like this," Aaron Knook, stranded passenger.

"I always said I wanted to stay but I didn't think God was going to keep me here today," said Sandy Carpenter.  "If my husband sees this, honey I'll make it home don't worry!"

You will need to show your Air Australia ticket to get the discounted Hawaiian Airlines fare.  The same offer is available for anyone stuck in Australia who needs to get back to Hawaii.

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