Hawaii travel in the news as the standard bearer University of Washington, Institute for Health Metrics projects that our state could be among the first to return to some degree of normalcy starting in about two weeks. That after we’d just written about Hawaii at the turning point. At the same time, critics reasonably argue that in order to reopen responsibly, testing beyond current capacity will be required; and just when might that be.
In any event, the projected May 4 date is an indication of things moving in the right direction, while it also clearly does not mean the return of visitors yet. Read below for more thoughts on that.
Meanwhile, Governor Ige yesterday announced even tighter restrictions for those of us who live here. The new rules are more specific about outdoor activities, mandatory social distancing, face masks in public and operating policies for essential businesses.
For example, we were told before that while the beaches were closed, we could use them to access the ocean for exercise. Yesterday, the Governor specifically mandated no sitting, standing, lying down, lounging, sunbathing or loitering on beaches. It left no room for individual interpretation. You can walk on the beach to reach the ocean for exercise, but not stop and linger.
Now upon conviction of any rule violation, the punishment includes up to a $5,000 fine and one year in prison.
Obviously, before tourism returns, these orders have to be lifted and others too, such as the 14-day mandatory arrival isolation.
Can there be normal in Hawaii without Hawaii travel? Absolutely not. For us here on the ground, it is abundantly clear that the economy of Hawaii is in the midst of an unprecedented disaster. Without travel returning, the majority of the state’s employment will be lost. We cannot overstate this reality, although, of course, health and safety remain of primary and vital importance.
Any word on Hawaii travel resumption – when and how? We are getting scores of questions daily, and look to a myriad of sources for indications on what might happen next. Those include the airlines, the FAA/DOT, and federal health officials (as aviation is 100% federally controlled), among others. This week, for example, we saw that Southwest Hawaii flights had been largely pulled from their schedule until the end of June, indicating they don’t see travel start for another sixty days. We’re awaiting more updates from the other airlines including Hawaiian’s schedule changes. As you’ll recall, the Hawaii bellwether largely removed flights until early June, at this point.
We assume that travel will resume prior to widespread testing being available. In that regard, Dr. Fauci said yesterday, there will “Eventually (be) antibody tests and more capacity for diagnosis testing.” But when? And even then, WHO just warned that there is no evidence that the tests can actually show immunity. Crazy making!
In any event, we look to the beginning of May as a time when we will all hopefully learn a lot more about how and when Hawaii travel will resume.
First changes coming on flights to Hawaii. For travel to and from Hawaii to be deemed safe, there must be multiple layers of new measures needed. Airlines,m for one thing, are moving to elimination of middle seats on flights to Hawaii and elsewhere, as we mentioned yesterday. Airports, security, buses, and more will all need to be addressed. Regarding separation between rows that are entirely too close together in today’s new world, we’re hearing your ideas.
Mike, a Beat of Hawaii reader, suggested: “To get better distancing, it should be, no middle seat one row, then only middle seat next row, then no middle next row and so on through the plane. And for one aisle planes, the no middle seat row coupled across from a middle seat row. For two aisle planes only the middle row needs adjusting. Here again, reclining needs to be restricted or again the two heads will be getting too close.” Our thought is that this won’t work economically in the long run, but might be a component of restarting flights to Hawaii and elsewhere.
In the meantime, we are still awaiting further word from government and industry on what is being planned. We continue to think that this will become clear in the next few weeks, so hang in there while we learn more.
What will the new normal look like?
See our post When Hawaii Air Travel Will Resume: Expect Big Changes.
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Its ok to wear a mask when we go to a store. All you have done is make people upset. just like all the graduation this year. explain to me why a graduate can not walk as long as they had a mask on and gloves so they are not touching other people. They could have made the 6ft apart and the y would not be sitting next to each other. when will this end. Graduating is a person whole life. It shows what they have accomplished that school, or you could have tried to extend it until june. most mainland people seems to have move the graduation to June.
I’m trying to figure out if it’d be wise to make my Alaska Airline November 2020 (crossing my fingers here) reservation before the May 31, 2020 timeline so I could be assured of the ability to make a schedule change in the future without a change fee, should this still be an issue closer to that time. The prices for this round trip (SMF>KOA, through Seattle) are currently almost exactly what we paid for the same trip in January 2020. If prices go down before November, I figure I could do the schedule change thing one time and take the cheaper rates and pocket the rest as mileage credit. Your advice? Wait or book before May 31, 2020?
Hi Tonya.
We think more information will be revealed during May that will make it clear where things stand. While this could go on for a while, there will need to be more clarity forthcoming. Thanks for your patience.
Aloha.
In my opinion, this whole scenario is a case of the cure is worse than the disease. The numbers just don’t support the actions taken by our governments. This vi rus is highly contagious but has a very low mortality rate .1 to .2 percent, especially if you have no underlying health conditions. The damage that is being done to families, small businesses and even large businesses is unprecedented and the true effects won’t be known for years to come. As of writing this comment, the US has 23 million unemployed, that’s 23 million lives disrupted in what experts say is one of the most stressful life events that can happen to a person. Not to mention the lock down of our cities and states, no wonder suicide, domestic violence, and child abuse rates are all up. There’s already peaceful demonstrations in some major cities and it’s just a matter of time that they become violent protests or riots, it’s why there’s no guns in the gun stores to buy now. Anybody…especially our leaders hate to admit they made a mistake, but it’s time to end this power grab and return things to normal.
Please, my wife and I have a cruise scheduled on Norwegians Pride of America 6/13-6/20. Do you have any updates on cruises.
Hi Robert.
We have not seen anything about when the CDC’s no sail order will be lifted. Nor do we know when Hawaii will remove 14 day restrictions related to entry into the state. But we do hope to know more in the next couple of weeks.
Aloha.
I am confident enough that things will get better that I have already booked our next trips, Kauai just after Thanksgiving and Waikiki/Kona in early February. Blessings to all
Hi Diana.
Thanks.
Aloha.
So sad money or lives……
Our state was one of the last to see the numbers affected by Vi rus. Currently our numbers are still increasing. I would think using common sense we would be one of the last State to open our doors to travelers. You welcome to come if you promise to not bring the virus but take it with you when you go back home. As I stated “COMMON SENSE”, LETS USE IT, AFTER ALL ITS FREE.
Money or lives?
Few days ago it was my 62nd birthday and I got to see 2 of my grandsons. It should’ve been a Very Happy day for me but I cried because I couldn’t hold them to great them the way us Hawaiians show Love & Aloha to eachother. I still cry just thinking about it. I Pray that I will survive this so the next time I see them I will be able to get a hug & kiss from them for my birthday.
Aloha – How long do you think it will take for Hawaii to get running again after restrictions are lifted and flights resume? I’m guessing it’s more challenging as most everything arrives by ship. Will condo/timeshare visitors find what they want at the stores? Will restaurants be ready to open? IF flights were to resume say on June 1st (and 14 day quar antine lifted), would stores + restaurants be ready? Or will there be a lag time? What is your best guess? Mahalo
Hi Kathie.
As far as we see, there are no issues associated with shipping an availability of food and other essential products in Hawaii. We would not expect to see any significant lag time. When travel resumes, there will also be advance notice to allow for things to be ready.
Aloha.
My thoughts about Hawaii being rude and not wanting anyone to come there for a visit or vacation, then don’t leave Hawaii to go visit your loved ones in any of the other states. Whatever state Hawaiians decide to fly to, then they need a 14 day quar antine as well. What makes your state better than any other state. How is it right for you to not let us visit Hawaii? You had no problem with it before. It is much our right to fly there as it is your right to fly out of there to another state.
The travel agency already cancelled our Hawaii package that was for May 9th to the 21st. I’m so sad. We havent been on vacation for 4 years and was heartbroken when we got the news. We just kept holding out for hope. It is really hard to decide when we can even reschedule. Just waiting for good news like everyone else. I know it seems pretty but it is the only thing I think about. I know when the time is right, it will happen.
When can I fly to hawaii
Please don’t!! Please, everyone, stay at home. We are a tiny little community and vi ruses spread like wild fire. We are doing everything in our power to keep our families safe. Maui has a total of 17 extra ventilators. Please God just wait until next year! We have kids and families
Thank you for your updates….we own timeshares both on beautiful Kauai(our favorite!!) and also the Big Island and were hoping to visit in 2020. Might have to wait till late in the year or into 2021.
Hi Dave.
Thanks.
Aloha.
It is heartening to read the thoughtful responses and ideas here. There is a safe way forward, we just don’t have a solid plan YET; it will come and hopefully soon. For those wanting to visit our islands, please stay tuned! We want and need you here and I, for one, extend a warm aloha from the Big Island for the consideration for everyone’s safety. When you are able to come, please understand that some here may welcome you with mixed feelings. Please extend them courtesy and tread lightly as protecting you along with our relief workers, residents, and environment is aimed toward a sustainable future for us all. I share this with deep aloha and from having experienced an exposure from a visitor breaching social distancing protocols. Again, we look forward to welcoming you once again. Sharing this special place, our home place, is usually a reminder of how truly lucky we are to live in Hawai’i and be the ambassadors of the aloha spirit.
Thank you for the kind words. I realize that some will not welcome us, and that makes me sad because the 3 times that we have visited, the islanders have always been so nice and I can’t imagine them any other way.
It is not about you, it is about saving lives across the country. Time to wait it out and when it is safe then come.
If there was a plane that had a record of crashing would you complain if people told you to wait until it was fixed?
No…I wouldnt Fly on that one…lol…I would choose a different flight
As a mother of a young child, I’m not sure how well that staggered airline seat scheme would work. It would end up being a 10 hour light with a child in my lap. I like the middle seat for her. You have a seat and a half and she has you. Maybe more of clustering of family groups and space between those clusters could work better. It might help increase density for the airlines without compromising distancing. We’re living together in isolation. May as well travel the same way.
Thank you SO much for your updates. I grew up in Honolulu and my mom still lives there so I go a couple times a year. Everyone’s health and safety is #1 to me, and I just hope all the workers can safely go back to work soon. I know Hawaii’s unemployment rate is especially high which is heartbreaking! I was thinking of going over for Memorial Day weekend (LAX-HNL or Long Beach to HNL), but it may take me some time to feel comfortable flying and being among people, so I’m looking to go either in July or August. What would be your recommendation on buying tickets? Do you think the prices are better now or will they drop when the restrictions are lifted to get people flying again? Thank you so much!!
Hi Staci.
Thanks. The summer is going to be very inexpensive, compared with normal. Suggest waiting until clarify arrives on when travel might resume more normally. We should know more very soon.
Aloha.
I would hope this is a wake-up call for the airlines. They have previously forced most people to fly while sick because of their tough cancellation policies. And then they pack them all in the plane like sardines. If you have the flu or fever, etc, there should be a way to change your flight with no fare change to when you’re well. Maybe by having a certain percentage of seats as health-flex fares or something like that so they don’t lose revenue. There’s got to be a way to fly safer.
Nobidy forced people to fly when they are sick, that is what travel insurance is for. It is putting self before others. Same on people flying on business or going to the office when sick, it shows no interest in others. If we learned one thing from this awful disease, it is if you are sick do not go out and give it to others because you come first.
I enjoy your information. A friend turned me on to it. As a mainlander that owns property on Kauai this is a great resource to hearing what is going on in my favorite place.
Hi Michael.
Thanks. You are most welcome here.
Aloha.
Hello to all,
Thank you so much for the great updates.
I would not bother to remove seats but just don’t sell those seats because when a family of three traveling on a long flight it’s so good to lean over a little bit ❤️
It’s so hard to figure it out how to deal in the right way with this unprecedented situation.
Checking temperatures is a great idea but you can have fever from on from any other kind of infection ( infected tooth).
Hoping for a miraculous disappearance!!
Mahalo for reading!
Hi Krisztina.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Thats true- you can have a temperature for several reasons, but you can be infectious with Co vid and have no symptoms whatsoever.
Mahalo for your continued updates! It’s nice to hear from those who are actually on island. We look forward to future updates and when we can rebook flights. Stay safe and healthy ❤🙏
Hi Donna.
Thank you for your comments over the last four years.
Aloha.
We should reopen nomatter what God going take everybody one by one that can’t stop germs be always in the air had way more people died without the c.vi rus dated longtime ago till now. It’s a waste of time for restrictions and and not reopening.
Aloha, I enjoy your website. It’s been keeping me so far informed about when travel can resume going there to the islands. I have family there, and my mother was raised there. I have a trip planned the end of May, and really praying we get to come over there.
Thanks again
Hi Geri.
Thanks. We appreciate your comment.
Aloha.
I’m sorry but I really think that some common sense must come into play here. For many years we have flown on aircraft with current seating safely. the airlines cannot operate their aircraft with such reduced capacity. With the new tests available, it may be possible to test passengers before they board the aircraft. But we simply cannot operate aircraft with one third capacity and expect the fare to be anywhere near affordable for all but the very rich. Thanks to Beat of Hawaii for all the up to date info you provide.
Hi Jerry.
Thanks for this and other comments.
Aloha.
@JerryC With relatively cheap fuel costs, maybe airlines can fly economically with reduced seating couple with slight tix prices, plus some conciliations from labor up and down the food chain (e.g. pilots, airport staff, etc.), and so on. Everyone gives a little in the short term (until this wicked vi rus is defeated), we all win in the long term.
The huge news today is the study released by Stanford yesterday that the actual number of infections is vastly understated, with actual cases as much as 50 to 85 times greater than official “cases”. That means that the vast majority of infections produce either no or mild symptoms.
Unfortunately, there are enough problems with how that study was conducted (recruiting participants via Facebook ads, as one example) that more reliable studies will need to be completed before any data are available that can help determine a sensible approach to reopen without immediately making things even worse.
We have reservations on July 1from San Diego on Alaska airlines to Kauai at the PONOKAI’s resort our timeshare.is it safe? I made these reservations sometime back before this. Please give a answer what to do. Thank you.
Hi Laurel.
We’ll stay on top of everything related to Hawaii travel resuming, and expect to have much more clarity in the next few weeks. Please subscribe or check back.
Aloha.
In your opinion do you think inter island travel will be just as restricted as travel from the mainland? Thanks for your input. I won’t hold you to your speculation!
Hi Betsy.
It’s hard to say. Inter-island travel has a potential open up earlier, but if combined timing-wise with mainland flights resuming, that could obviate that possibility.
Thanks for your comments over the years!
Aloha.
For once I am glad others have to make the calls. I want travel to resume, I want the Hawaiian economy and jobs to bounce back but I also want everyone safe and stop people dying from this awful disease. All the opinions I read on social media tend to ignore the conflicts as they are not thought through.
Aloha! It is readily apparent that the loss of tourism dollars is already upsetting the state’s budget as well as that of so many of the island’s workers. There is fear that a resumption of flights without adequate safeguards in place could fuel growth of the vi rus. We would all love to escape our weeks at home ‘sheltering’ to be in a far away paradise. However, doing so without taking in consideration the effects that may cause seems unwise,and almost selfish. We had rebooked our April trip to June with the thought it might help restart the economy. We have since rebooked to next April. We will make donations to those helping to feed the laid off service workers. It seems the right thing to do. We will all get thru this thing by working together! Mahalo
Hi Al.
Thanks for this and your other comments.
Aloha.
I have thought a good bit about the returning protocols. since we must assume that massive random testing to detect infection among those who do not show symptoms is a ways in the future, here are my rules for coming to Hawaii:
1. Visitors must present and carry with them a certificate from their doctor dated within 5 days of departure that they have been tested both for infection status and a serum antibody test to show any presence of antibodies A positive result and/or no presence of antibodies would be reasons for refusal.
2. All visitors shall be screened at the departure and arrival airports for any spike in temperature.
3. No inter island travel for visitors for the time being — until we have a reliable tracking system.
4. Begin by opening the Big Island and perhaps Kauai as “test markets”. The Big island because of the vast open areas. Kauai because of their strict policies that kept local infections low. Any spike or outbreaks would cease travel. Infected visitors would shelter in place for fourteen days and then return home.
I agree with your thoughts about opening Kauai and maybe BI as a test market. I think it will be a while until we’d be able to require certificates from a doctor before people could travel to Hawaii. And that would require the cooperation of the Federal government to require that be checked before they board a flight on the mainland.
The thing is that we do still have tourists arriving, and they’re not all obeying the 14 day “quar antine”. So much for the honour system.
The other thing is that if we weren’t too greedy and complacent to have learned after the market crash in 2008 that we needed to diversify our economy, surely we have learned it now. It took a full 4 years for tourism and the economy to recover after 2008.
To say that tourism is the only thing we can do us to sell short the abilities and intelligence of our people. Tourism is not sustainable for the environment nor for good paying jobs. Tourism is neo-colonialism. We need to diversify, to stop brain drain, and to be more self sustainable for a future that will be affected by climate change and the new diseases that will come with it.
Laura G,
In 2018, over 200 thousand of the 640 thousand jobs were tourism related, and over 20% of the State of Hawaii’s GDP is attributed to tourism. Exactly what’s your plan to diversify over 25% of the economic structure, that has been sustainably built over the last 5+ decades?
It’s easy to say “we should do x, y and z” and it’s another thing to plan and implement it. Not to mention that over two-thirds of tourism is Domestic travel between the states. Your suggestion may be reasonable to limit foreign travel, but it’s likely impossible to keep U.S. citizens from visiting, as you’d be infringing on their 5th Ammendment rights…
Now that the governor has also outlawed walking and running on the beach, there is nothing left to do unless you surf swim or snorkel.
He is now outlawed individuals providing vacation rentals, so there is no place for anyone to stay.
Stop the madness. Emperor Ige’s latest proclamation goes beyond reason and seems impossible to enforce.
Living here in Honolulu has had it challenges like many other places…. we all just want to get back to “normal” whatever that us now. But being safe and healthy is of course our #1 priority
Mahalo
Ruth T
Hi Ruth.
Thanks. We couldn’t agree more.
Aloha.
So sad…..I totally get it. I live in Las Vegas : another economy totally based on tourism. Our mayor wants to re-open the city but our governor cannot risk lives. What is the answer?
Aloha from the ninth island! I live in Las Vegas too (aloha Susan! ) . Just like you in Hawaii, we are anxious to welcome our visitors back but not at risk to anyone. Unfortunately it’s not known how or when that can take place. I had to cancel a planned trip to Maui in March and would love to plan another trip. I have to say, although it would reduce capacity quite a bit, I don’t think anyone would mind no middle seats! Please stay safe and stay well and hope this is over soon!
Hi Lisa.
Thanks.
Aloha.