After living on the islands for many years and missing Kilauea's grandeur, on several occasions, I thought that the recent reports of increased activity would be an opportunity to make amends. As I now live on the mainland and a trip to Maui was already planned, I thought that this would be a perfect birthday gift for my Significant Other. After much research and several calls to the islands, I selected Volcano Air Tours Sunset Tour, leaving from Kahalui. Prior to making reservations, I asked about viewing conditions and was advised, that there had been recent red lava flow activity; but, there were no guarantees that we would see the same, which I understood. Upon arrival at the Kahalui Commuter Terminal, we were very disappointed at the condition of the aircraft. We understood that the plane would be an older 10 passenger twin engine craft; however, the interior cabin was in need of, at least, a good cleaning. The carpet was dirty, worn and tattered, headliner cracked and missing screws, seats were cracked, torn and dirty and overall, appeared to have been neglected for years. The exterior paint was peeling, as well. The outward appearance of the aircraft did not instill confidence in it's mechanical condition. Our pilot, "Captain Bill" was knlowledgeable and engaging and obviously enjoyed his job. He advised us that red lava had been visible several weeks ago; but, explained that this rare view had not been seen since. He spent quite a bit of time over the recent flows and we captured clear views of the steam vent rising from Kilauea, saw the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa and the south shores of Maui.
In summary. at a cost of nearly $800 for two people for a two hour flight in an aircraft that had seen better days, I would consider other options for your volcano experience. We had a wonderful trip to Maui, but this excursion was my only disappointment. I expected much more for the hefty price tag. read more
