Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, the leading helicopter tour company in Hawaii, resumes tourism flights in Maui as island reopens following the devastating wildfires in Lahaina. For nearly two weeks, Blue Hawaiian had paused tourism operations as it focused on disaster relief efforts in Lahaina.

“Our top priority was helping those impacted by the fires,” said Blue Hawaiian President Quentin Koch, who immediately got an emergency authorization to land helicopters in Lahaina to transport basic supplies to thousands of hotel guests, residents, and emergency responders. “As Hawaii’s only FAA SMS-certified tourism company, our highly trained pilots quickly transitioned from tour guides to heroes almost overnight.”

“Our safety policies and training allowed us to arrive on scene at sunrise the morning following the fires,” said Blue Hawaiian Director of Operations Eric Hamp. “And we continued to provide our full support until the adequate resources were received by our residents and hotel partners.”

Over the course, Blue Hawaiian provided more than 4,000 meals, countless pallets of water, clothes, and even essential fire equipment that was needed for first responders. The company was also able to do special charter flights, free of charge, to help get tourists and residents out of the Lahaina area as the road remained closed for up to five days.

“We are still grieving the many lives lost and the devastation caused by the wildfires as we pick up the pieces of our broken hearts,” said Koch. “But as we work to rebuild Lahaina, we need to remember to support the rest of the island as well. Most of Maui is now open for business, and it’s important to support them too as they depend greatly on tourism.”

Despite the recent wildfires, the rest of the island is deemed safe and continues to be a breathtaking destination for visitors.