Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The devastation and tragedy playing out in Maui resulting from the wildfires is forcing travel to Hawaii to be canceled or adjusted for many.
At the AAA of of Western and Central New York, officials tell WBEN they're having no problem working with partners to make the necessary adjustments to travelers' itineraries following last week's wildfires.
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"Things are a little out of the ordinary than what we would expect for traveling to Hawaii," says Matthew Covert of AAA. He says with the devastation caused by the Maui wildfires, travel is a little bit difficult. "We're helping anybody that we have currently in Maui, help find safe refuge and or trying to get them home," says Covert.
Covert says there are only a few customers who were currently in Maui when all of this was taking place. "Anybody that we currently have traveling or getting set to travel to Maui, we're rebooking or modifying wherever needed. But right now, to my knowledge, we don't have any cancellations," explains Covert.
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Covert says he's been working with partners to make sure those in Maui and those planning to go to Maui have alternate plans in place. "Pleasant Holidays specialize in Hawaiian vacations, so anybody that's currently booked, they're allowing us to go through and modify any type of reservation that we currently have. either send them out to another island, and or switch the dates completely, and have them travel at a later time while we rebuild," says Covert.
Does this mean hold off on travel to Hawaii? Covert says continue to monitor the situation. "Anybody that's traveling to any of the other islands right now, feel free to go ahead and make those travel plans and continue those travel plans," notes Covert. He says AAA travel advisors are reaching out to travelers who are heading there in the near future, giving updates and adjusting accommodations to anybody not feeling comfortable traveling right now to Hawaii.
As of Monday evening, 96 people died in the Maui wildfires.