Questions that could potentially put the kibosh on visitors’ plans.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
202 thoughts on “Could Latest Plans Derail Hawaii Reopening on October 15?”
Comments are closed.
Questions that could potentially put the kibosh on visitors’ plans.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
Comments are closed.
Thanks for the info. So the islands, that I am constantly hearing, are in desperate need of economic infusion of tourism now want me, the tourist, to provide test results obtained 72 hours before my arrival and then plan to quarantine (place unknown) for 72 hours after arrival and submit to a second test (presumably at my expense)for an undoubtedly constrained vacation experience? Mahalo, but no mahalo!
Hi Mark.
Thanks. It could still all change again – we just don’t know yet.
Aloha.
This is a nightmare. The governor represents the “whole” state. If transpacific passengers can get pretested 72 hours before, be COVID negative and allowed to land in HNL, then what is the difference between a stop in HNL or flying directly into OGG? HAL rescheduled me to go through HNL on 10/24 to get to OGG, so they better get their stuff together in the next 3 weeks.
What a mess, no clear directions, this is unfortunate for Hawaii and tourists alike.
French Polynesia has the exact same two-test protocol and they have managed the re-introduction of Malahini (visitors). The logic is that even with the three-day prior test requirement, exposure between results and flight is certainly possible. The difference is that the French government provides the follow-on test. They only require quarantine if the second test proves positive.
There is a potential solution if we are to believe the federal government announcement that they will be distributing 100 million PCR (quick-type, self-administered)tests to states. The traveler could either bring a follow-on test kit or ideally collect one at the arrival airport.
Numerous domestic and international airports are offering on-airport or mail-in testing.
Hawaii should take a lesson from the University of Illinois. Which tests all the students and staff at least once and if they want twice a week using a saliva test on campus with the COVID-19 SHIELD: Target, Test, Tell program which is CLIA approved. Thus they can test at least 15000 to 17000 individuals every day. Compared to the whining governor and Hawaii health officials all they had to do is to invest $6-7 million for the facilities and the materials. Their saliva test is fast and accurate with results in minutes and it is free. $6-7M is a small amount compared to the $37 million invested into the useless thermal cameras. It is not too late, Hawaii Governor can still learn from the University of Illinois and basically duplicate what was done there. I am sure just like any academic, University of Illinois will be more than happy to help Hawaii if they were asked.
Unfortunately, If I was betting I would bet that Hawaii Governor and mayors would not want something so easy, cheap, accurate and fast because it would expose their incompetence up to now.
The state of Hawaii is as ready to open to tourist starting October 15th as they were 90 days ago. Will not happen, not sure who is in charge. They still have not answered the questions about flying into HNL and transiting to a flight to LNY on the same day. Nor have the addressed people flying into OGG and then going to Lahania to take the ferry to Manele Bay. Still hoping that by November 15th Hawaii will be better prepared for tourist to return to Hawaii, otherwise they can write off the Christmas season and more closure of small business on all of the islands will probably occur.
No surprise. They are overwhelmed due to lack of preparation. How many visitors are going to arrive? It will be a trickle. I can not believe that they can not handle that. It is the perfect way to learn and improve until larger crowds arrive. I cancelled twice earlier this year, then cancelled the 15th, 16th and now I am booked on the 22nd. Toronto to Chicago to San Francisco (location of Test) to Maui. That is a 21 hour trip, leaving Toronto at 7am and arriving on Maui at 9:13pm If this does not work, I am done and have enough for a while. I guess some weeks in Cabo have to do it then.
OMG! This has gone too far. The lack of rationality by the “leaders” of the counties in Hawaii has forced me to apply for a passport and vacation in Cancun this winter instead of Hawaii.
Hmmm seems pretty clear a 10/15 reopening date is inevitably not happening. We so look forward to returning to HI but have chosen a different vacation spot on the mainland for fall break.
Thank you for all your hard work and communication! Keep asking the obvious and clarifying questions of your leaders!
Hi Jess.
Have a good vacation on the mainland and we look forward to welcoming you back to Hawaii again.
Aloha.
Holy Cow!!! I am confused as well…”Without a Plan you Plan to FAIL”….Why are the good citizens of Hawaii not rallying on the steps of the Capital and demanding a PLAN? And getting Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who seems to be a voice of reason, to help out? I really don’t know how much more time Ignorant Ige needs to tank your State?
CDC 2017 (most recent data) Flu/Pneumonia deaths in Hawaii -637 total deaths; COVID 19- 134 total deaths, which total # does not even make the Top 10 causes of death in Hawaii ….Long-term consequences of tanking your state economy will far exceed Covid death total..
Continued prayers for courage & wisdom from any State leaders…
Where would you have to stay during those 3 days of quarantine and if it is in a high priced resort who fits that bill?
Where is Mayor Harry Kim from the Big Island ?
He is still missing in action!
I would not go if there is a three day quarantine. Thanks.
I don’t understand why anyone would want to vacation in Hawaii with any kind of restrictions or testing requirements in place. So much unknown… I want my vacation planning to be fun, and I want the trip getting there to not have so many hoops to jump through. And, most of all, I want all of my time on the islands to be relaxing and fun with no worries about special rules, processes, testing, etc. My wife and I have been planning a very expensive, once-in-a-lifetime visit to Hawaii for our 35th anniversary (which was this year…). While I greatly appreciate BOH keeping us informed, nothing that is being reported at this time makes me want to visit any time soon. We are booked for Sept 21, but if the “old normal” does not return by then, we may decide to celebrate our anniversary elsewhere.
Forget about bringing tourists back with this three day testing after they arrive…..what a mess and still not sure what you are doing Hawai’i…we are owners in Kauai and wanting to go back to my second home but how much more can folks endure…$139 testing for each person then more testing and on and on….Forget about opening til you can figure it out….in mean time folks are going broke and no jobs….SAD!
I hope they do not do the 3 day retest. Seems like the test 72 hours before should suffice. We have tickets to take our grandchildren in early Dec. It would be very expensive to test all of us twice. I hope they decide how it should be done soon as we really miss Hawaii. Thanks for keeping us updated.
Hi Brenda.
There will be a lot more coming out about this, and of course, the governor has not decided. Thanks.
Aloha.
In a word “ridiculous!”
It was told to me that if you flew into HNL as a transit stop (not go out of the airport and stay in secure areas) you can hop over to the other island of your final destination. From SFO/OAK there are no non stops to Kauai until November 1. So maybe that will be the way the outer islands get away with delaying visitors..
This is getting to be a monotonous discussion. I wonder what will be left when Hawaii gets it’s act together.
This is a situation that, in the past, would be handled by a meeting of all the mayors and the Governor in the offices of the Senior Senator of Hawaii. He would immediately knock some heads together and tell everyone to get on the same page “or else”.
We have nothing along these lines of influence right now and its showing by the seriousness of the wishful thinking nature of all the Mayors to have it their own way. Well, fine, that works for you, than you will not be the recipient of tourism dollars coming in and you can tell your unemployed why you are still keeping the islands closed.
WTF
I think Hawaii’s government is in total shambles. I have gone a reserved my hotel and purchased airline tickets based on the notion that we would no longer have a 14 day quarantine. Now they are talking about a 3 day quarantine and a second covid test, that is a bunch of bull S_ _ t. Can someone on this Island make a final decision or are we stuck with clowns that are ruining the Hawaii Islands. Not wasting my time if they are going to required a second test.
Aloha, just curious why a 2nd test when arrive if already had a negative test? Mahalo
Hi Sandie.
That is because the first test may not catch all positives for various reasons.
Aloha.
So far, Hawaii has successfully created a plan that no right minded tourist would want to do. It’s sad that the planes can get you there now, but Hawaii still has no realistic way to process tourists. If I am understanding this correctly, Governor Ige is saying you have to take another test when get there, but he might not have one for you to take. And if I fly into Honolulu (pretty much have to for the cheapest airfare) and want to go to the Big Island, I will have to take another test when I get there (if they have one for me) and then direct me to sit in quarantine for 3 days. “That sounds like a great plan!” said the person who will not be going to Hawaii anytime soon.
Same protocols as French Polynesia. The only difference is that there is no three-day quarantine for the second test results. If you test positive on second test you are quarantined.
Am I reading this correctly? Even if we arrive to Oahu with a negative test result that was obtained within 72 hours, we may be required to take another test 3 days later? And have to quarantine until those results are obtained??
We have tickets to Hawaii on October 28, 2020. Our flight at the present time is to leave
Oakland, CA to HNL and then transfer to a Maui flight on the same day with just a few hours in the HNL Airport.
Will be have to double quarantine and or do the Covid-19 Test Twice. Help!
Thank you for your help.
Hi Pat.
We can’t say yet with any accuracy how transferring interisland will work. Hope to be able to share more soon.
Aloha.
Trying to determine exactly what you have to do to go to Hawaii is like trying to nail jello to the wall. These idio… gentlemen need to get their act together immediately and stop muddying up the water. They state that they want a second test after arrival and then, in the next breath, say that they don’t have the necessary testing capacity. There’s a cognitive issue here. The government is just now determining that they need to increase testing capacity? What have they been doing for the last 7 months?
Additionally, if you were planning on coming to Hawaii for a week, would you be willing to spend nearly half of it quarantined? I don’t think many will.
The central issue is that the government wants to open the state without accepting any risk associated with reopening and that is simply not going to happen regardless of the hare-brained schemes they come up with.
I was getting ready to book a 7 day Kauai trip in November or December. I would never book a vacation knowing I had to quarantine for half of the trip. The attitude toward tourism and toward fellow Americans is insulting. Should we require the same for Hawaii residents visiting the mainland? It’s not like your Covid rates have been lower.
Thanks BOH for the update! Again I am so disappointed in what is taking place on the islands. The lack of clarity, direction, and incompetence is severely damaging the well being of the people of Hawaii. With each misstep the recovery of the Hawaii is becoming more and more bleak.
Hi Danny.
Thanks. Forever optimists, we hope to have better news soon.
Aloha.
Please help, who is going to pay for all the extra tests, quarantine, bubbles
visitors will have no money to eat in restaurants, go see and enjoy your
beautiful islands. We would love to come and enjoy plus have relatives there
that we would like to see and make lasting memories.
Thank you.
Jean
Hi Jean.
Thanks for your comments.
Aloha.
I know I’m saying this somewhat selfishly as a mainlander, but the second test is huge overkill and only going to do more harm than good in the long run. I’m all for being careful and the test before travel makes all the sense in the world, but requiring another test and a 72 hour quarantine after arrival is short sighted and illogical. Please let more rational, thoughtful minds prevail here.
Most visitors to Hawaii are not staying for three or four weeks or more. More than 80% are staying less than two weeks. We normally come for 10 days and have no interest in a three day quarantine, then picking up and going to our timeshare in Princeville. Makes absolutely no sense and if this is the case, my money and family will spend out $15K allotment elsewhere. You loose Hawaii!
So let me get this right. I live on Maui and want to go see a friend on the big island. I have to take a 72 hr test. I get that it’s ok. But once I get to the big island I have to take another test and quarantine for 3 days. After that I am free to go BUT when I go back to home in Maui I have to take another 72 hr test and quarantine for 3 days, that’s 6 days quarantine and 3 tests at about $300 for tests and then add in airfares. Really???
This PR nightmare will truly kill any hopes of any Hawaiian economic recovery. If Ige reneges on his promise, what traveler would want to make any Hawaii plans for the next year? I understand the locals’ frustrations regarding inter-island, but opening up to a small amount of visitors with the pre-test will at least bring some jobs back. I have reservations to fly to Kauai to stay in my condominium in Poipu Beach on 10/16. I will cancel if I am forced to stay inside and not even able to go to the pool for 3 – 5 days. And they expect us to continue to pay property taxes, while we can’t stay or rent out our unit to vacationers. The state is dying and locals have to loosen their fears of mainlanders – we are desperately needed to bring revenue and sales and hotel taxes. The killing of the economy is bigger danger than Covid.
So, I was planning on going over to do work on my condo in November. Ok for me to get tested as that seems to be the norm. So now we are being told that we still have to stay at a hotel for three days even thought we already have been tested once before flying? Thank you for the update. Hopefully the government will get things sorted out soon…
Hi Scott.
Thanks. Yes, we too hope to receive more information sooner than later on this.
Aloha.
I read this, this morning and screamed. My sister is booked to visit November 3rd, my kids for Thanksgiving. This ideottic, contradicting waffling is beyond the absurd.
My personal disappointment means nothing in comparison to the jobs and hence incomes/livelihoods of so many on the islands.
Subsidies will end. People will have to leave the islands they love to find work.
So frustrating.
Mahalo for your frequent updates♡
Hi Jacqui.
We understand. Thanks for all your comments.
Aloha.
My thoughts are that Hawaii never intended to reopen in the first place.
I feel sorry for the fools who fell for this for the third time. Fool me once shame on you. fool me twice shame on me, but fool me three times and I’m a fool. Who put these mayors in charge? Does this governor have any backbone whatsoever? The double test will keep all tourists away. Even if there was a second test after 3 days whose to say it will be a quick test where results will come back by the third day? Tourists will end up waiting for the results of the second test and be stuck quarantined for their entire trip. Let me be clear, I’m not a tourist. I have a second home on Maui but I’m getting tired of getting treated like a prisoner every times I travel back. I see no chance that any of these Mayors get re-elected. They are determined to destroy the Hawaiian economy and insure tourists never return.
I was reading somewhere that Canadians do not need a test or quarantine to get into Hawaii
May as well just go on a Caribbean cruise now….DOH!
Still keeping our fingers crossed. We made flights on the 15th, so that we would at least be there before the Gov realized it’s not working, and slams the door again a week later, a day later. We would be far off the grid on the big eye by then! (Don’t let anyone know the Big Island part) lol
Vote for new leadership in Hawaii on November 3rd.
Aloha-A 3 day quarantine is worse than a 14 day. Why would I risk my whole trip based on a test after I have arrived? Am I missing something?
This 2nd test idea would mean that tourists coming for a week would still forfeit half their vacation. I for one would pass on that.