The lengthy application process for a US tourist visa has forced China Eastern Airlines to cancel its new direct flights between Shanghai and Honolulu this month, as nearly half of the travelers who booked the flights failed to get a valid visa in time, according to the airline.

Zhang Ming, press officer for China Eastern Airlines, told the Global Times Tuesday the flights scheduled for October 14, 18, 21 and 25 from Shanghai to Honolulu are canceled.

"China Eastern Airlines is currently planning to re-launch the route in November," he said. "We are planning to upgrade the flight from a charter to a scheduled flight."

China Eastern Airlines first introduced the direct route August 9, and all seats are sold by ctrip.com, the business partner for "Shenji Travel" – an independent air-plus-travel package service. After the upgrade, travelers will be able to book air tickets directly within China Eastern's global network. 

He added a twice weekly direct service from Honolulu to Shanghai has been 75 percent full since its launch in early August.

The Honolulu-Shanghai flight is currently not listed in any of the China Eastern Airlines' flight plans, and individual travelers cannot book the flight without going through the ticket booking system on ctrip.com.

He Jing, communications officer for ctrip.com, told the Global Times, half the travelers didn't get a US travel visa in time, so they had to cancel their trips.

"For affected travelers who manage to get a US visa, ctrip.com will help them find other flights," she said. "Ctrip.com will cover all costs for flight transfers and new bookings."

All applicants for a US tourist visa have to wait as long as 60 days to secure an appointment at one of the five US consular locations in China that process visas. Applicants need to go through a face-to-face interview before they are granted a tourist visa, according to the US consulate-general in Shanghai.

Gary Locke, US ambassador to China, had earlier pledged to reduce wait times for a US tourist visa in Beijing. He said last week the US government needs to make it easier for Chinese businessmen and tourists to travel to the country.

According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the direct flights from Shanghai were projected to have brought around 82,000 visitors to the tourist destination by the end of the year, with per capita spending at $368 per day.

Hawaii's Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism forecasts visitors from China to Hawaii will increase by 20 percent annually from 2012 to 2014. By 2014, Hawaii will have 140,000 Chinese visitors every year, according to a report on its official website.