Carrier to offer service between Hawai‘i and 10 U.S. West Coast cities by mid-November.
HONOLULU – Hawaiian Airlines, Hawai‘i’s hometown carrier, is bringing back more flights and routes between the U.S. mainland and Hawai‘i to welcome guests who will have the option to bypass the state of Hawai‘i quarantine with a pre-travel negative COVID-19 test starting Oct. 15.
Hawaiian will resume nonstop service between Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) and McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas starting Oct. 2, and between HNL and Oakland (OAK), Phoenix (PHX) and San Jose (SJC) international airports on Nov. 1.
By Nov. 18, the airline will be serving 10 U.S. West Coast cities, including nonstop flights between Maui and Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland, Seattle, San Jose and Sacramento. Hawaiian is also increasing frequencies on existing nonstop service between HNL and six U.S. West Coast cities, namely Los Angeles, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle.
“We’re encouraged by the positive response to the state’s decision to welcome travelers back to Hawai‘i, and we are resuming service to key markets to give our guests more options to visit our islands,” said Brent Overbeek, senior vice president of revenue management and network planning at Hawaiian Airlines. “While our onboard experience may look a little different these days, we’re excited to share our signature Hawaiian hospitality with our guests and encourage everyone to travel pono (responsibly) to keep each other and our communities safe.”
Hawaiian’s guests departing from LAX and SFO will have access to convenient drive-through COVID-19 tests to be exempt from the state of Hawai‘i quarantine and begin enjoying the islands from the moment they arrive.
Meanwhile, Hawaiian is restarting international passenger service tomorrow with a weekly flight between HNL and Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT). The carrier, which has been operating cargo-only flights between HNL and NRT since June, will resume passenger service to support essential travel between the two cities after suspending flights in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hawaiian Airlines Expands Pre-Travel COVID-19 Testing Options with Convenient At-home Service
Hawaiian Airlines also began offering travelers visiting or returning to the Hawaiian Islands from the U.S. mainland a pre-travel COVID-19 test they can take from the comfort of their home to qualify to be exempt from the state of Hawai‘i quarantine.
Hawaiian’s guests can order the mail-in saliva test online through Vault Health. The test kit, which is available for travelers of all ages including children, will be express mailed overnight to guests who will self-collect their sample with assistance from a testing supervisor in a video call. The kit is express shipped overnight to Vault’s lab, which will process and analyze the sample and provide travelers their results electronically within 24 hours.
Beginning Oct. 15, travelers with a negative COVID-19 test taken at a state-approved testing facility within 72 hours of the final leg of departure will be exempt from Hawai‘i’s 14-day quarantine upon arrival.
“We are excited to offer our guests at any of our U.S. mainland gateway cities a convenient way to take a pre-travel COVID-19 test that meets the state of Hawai‘i’s requirements, and we look forward to welcoming them onboard and to our islands soon,” said Avi Mannis, senior vice president of marketing at Hawaiian Airlines. “In addition to expanding testing availability and options, we have adopted comprehensive health and safety protocols throughout the travel journey to protect our guests, employees and community.”
“We’re happy to provide quick, accurate COVID-19 test results to Hawaiian Airlines guests,” said Vault Health Founder and CEO Jason Feldman. “The test is easy to take at home, pain-free, and limits exposure or use of personal protective equipment. We provide comfort in having you know your status from your own home, before travel.”
Hawaiian’s new at-home COVID-19 test option, facilitated by Vault Health, adds to the carrier’s partnership with Worksite Labs that will provide guests exclusive access to drive-through PCR testing ($90 for results within 36 hours, or $150 for day-of-travel express service) from dedicated, conveniently located labs near Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO) international airports, with more testing locations coming soon to its other U.S. mainland gateways.
Hawaiian’s comprehensive health and safety program covers all aspects of the travel journey, starting at check-in, when guests must complete a health acknowledgment form indicating they are free of COVID-19 symptoms and will wear an adequate face mask or covering at the airport and during the flight. Guests 2 years of age and older who are unable to wear a face mask or covering due to a medical condition or disability must undergo a health screening to board.
Hawaiian’s “Keeping you Safe” enhanced cleaning includes frequent disinfecting of lobby areas, kiosks, and ticket counters, electrostatic aircraft cabin spraying, plexiglass barriers at staffed airport counters, and sanitizer wipe distribution to all guests. The carrier, which has been operating a reduced schedule since March due to the pandemic and resulting travel restrictions, will continue to cap cabin capacity at 70 percent through Dec. 15 to allow for onboard distancing.
All travelers arriving in Hawai‘i or flying between the islands must now also complete the state’s online Safe Travels Hawai‘i form.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
