This week’s preparation for downsizing at Hawaiian Airlines, the largest private employer* in the state of Hawaii, does not bode well for travel or our economy. CEO Peter Ingram said 2,041 of the company’s 6,162 employees had received their upcoming furlough notices. Hawaiian Airlines employed about 7,500 people before COVID, almost all of whom are Hawaii-based. Ingram went on to say that the virtually imminent furlough was “Necessary to ensure our business survives and is poised to respond to opportunities when we can resume a more normal flight schedule.”
Hawaiian Airlines grounded and burning cash.
For the past six months, Hawaiian has been largely shuttered as the result of a 14-day mandatory quarantine for arriving passengers. With an unknown future based on when travel resumes and a hard to predict demand, the airline said it expects to be at least 15% to 25% smaller in summer 2021 compared with summer 2019. We sense that is optimistic. The company plans to “Build back the business over time from the smaller base.”
Hawaiian has been running through over $3 million daily during this tumultuous time. Nonetheless, the company is confident it will get through these unprecedented times.
Ingram had hoped voluntary departures and additional federal government support might forestall the inevitable. Thus far that hasn’t panned out. He reiterated his prior statement, however, that “The company would survive, but not as we were, not for a while… 90% of our people are based here in Hawaii. These are people who live and work and raise their families here in Hawaii.”
“We would welcome a six-month extension of… the CARES Act… Keeping our teams intact through March of next year would provide more time for demand to recover and hopefully reduce the scale of workforce downsizing. We will adjust our plans as legislative developments unfold. It is, however, critically important that we continue the preparations for furloughs while we wait to see what emerges from Congress.”
Hawaiian Airlines largely silent | Primary Hawaii travel stakeholder.
As the most influential and visible travel stakeholder in Hawaii, we would like to hear their voice at this uniquely critical time. For example, how do they envision providing an environment for the resumption of safe travel? That includes their take on testing (both pre-travel and on arrival), and any additional protocols that could help prevent their company’s further implosion, with the resulting impact on its employees. To say how ubiquitous Hawaiian Airlines is here, you are not likely to talk with someone who has been here very long who doesn’t know some of their employees or their families.
Ingram said that Hawaiian is working with the state to assure a safe reopening of travel. He cautioned that any further delay in the previously announced pre-travel testing could result in even more planned furloughs ahead. However, we continue to hear very little from Hawaiian about the state’s inability to implement or elucidate its previously announced pre-travel testing program. While we don’t know what Hawaiian may be thinking or saying behind the scenes, the state’s failure has resulted in their business collapse.
We are left asking ourselves, and you, what can Hawaiian Airlines do to help move the state of Hawaii forward?
Your comments speak to the situation at hand.
Jonathan said, “I’m surprised that the tourism industry is not camped outside Ige’s door screaming for blood. I would think that the first in line would be the CEO of Hawaiian Airlines. It’s strange to me that we’ve not heard more about why influential travel companies like Hawaiian are just rolling over and letting this happen?!?”
Jeanie added, “If Hawaiian Air would establish ‘rapid test’ procedures at every gate, and only passengers with a negative test would be allowed to board, thousands of tourists would return to Hawaii. No quarantine!! No increased danger to the islands. If a passenger has a positive test, they could be guaranteed ticket refunds for their party.”
Lisa said, “Some of the Federal-Aid Hawaii has received could have been used ingeniously to form a partnership between a qualified lab, Hawaiian airlines and the state of Hawaii. The state could have been on its way toward economic recovery and freedom. Having a local airline with this sort of partnership could have ensured responsible testing of visitors before they ever set foot in the islands.”
And James noted, “Why not form a partnership with Hawaiian airline carriers to temporarily eliminate Oahu from their schedules in favor of direct flights from the mainland and safer countries such as Japan and NZ? The “safest place in the U.S.” still works as a branding slogan. The airlines would include expedited CV19 testing. Their fare basis would include and factor in that partnership with labs that can offer 72 hour turnaround.”
Beat of Hawaii: All of your comments are appreciated. The reality is that Hawaiian Airlines cannot make testing mandatory. So even if they did offer it at the gate, people could opt-out. The entire testing debacle we were told would happen, was always shrouded in secrecy. There was supposed to be a contract with CVS to offer testing 72 hours prior to departure. That never happened and there are no obvious plans in place or on the drawing board.
* Hawaiian Airlines is the largest private employer in Hawaii other than health care providers.
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Hawaiian Air’s 15-25% drop by next summer seems very optimistic. United’s CEO expects airfare to drop and revenues to plateau at 50% of 2019 levels until there’s a coronavirus vaccine. And of course people have to be willing to be vaccinated. Besides anti-vaxxers, many people don’t want to be ‘early adopters’ when it come to C-19 vaccine, especially since the entire process of creating one has been rushed, and many essential testing steps are being skipped or reduced. United and other major airlines are each laying off tens of thousands in October, and many of those will not be coming back.
What you say makes sense but not to a frozen inept government.
I think the airlines can make people take the test just like no mask no flight no exceptions.
Several tourism-dependent countries have been accepting COVID-19 negative test holders for months already. Why on earth is the Hawaii state government dragging its feet? Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t have the authority or capability to create or run a testing program and even if it did, the state’s mandatory 14 day quarantine would still keep everyone away. That is the real reason Hawaii’s economy is dying while our elected leaders stand by and watch. You do bring up an excellent point about why tourism leaders aren’t camped out on Ige’s doorstep demanding action.
Most of the world is currently closed to US travelers, test or no test. Some of the countries that are open, or allow entry with a test, have very bad track records for COVID-19, so maybe they feel they have nothing to lose. (CNN / travel has a very good map with details.)
The big problem in the US, as far as testing for HI travel goes, is simply getting a test on time. The fact is that the vast majority of us do not have access to any test that is quick enough, and results back quick enough, to take a chance on booking air and hotel/condo and run the risk of not getting results back in time. It’s great to blame Ige, but he’s really not doing any worse than many US governors and national leaders worldwide. And the fact is that HI death rates and hospitalization rates are among the lowest in the nation.
BTW, watch for a big spike in cases on the US mainland in a couple of weeks, followed by a spike in hospitalizations and then deaths. Huge crowds everywhere at the beach over this 3-day weekend; no masks and zero social distancing. We should see the results of this by the start of next month if not before.
After reading that post, I’m going to go hide in my closet!
Most countries on the planet won’t let Americans in at all. Those that do are often those with high COVID rates already. And many of us can’t afford to risk making reservations since we can’t be sure of getting results back when we need them.
I posted a more articulate version of this but it was deleted; I don’t know why.
Sad news! HAL is my airline, and the legacy & history past & going forward are so important. I hope & pray they survive and regain the glory. A HUGE break will come when the Governor lifts the 14-day ban. I wanna book a 2020 Thanksgiving trip from the mainland, but am sitting on the fence until the ban is lifted.
Are there any direct flights to Kauai at this time? My son was unable to get his dog ready to go to Hawaii because of the lockdowns in Michigan when he flew, and now he can’t get his dog to Kauai because of the reduced flights. He’s a new doctor in Kauai and trying to figure a way to get his 89 lb. dog to Kauai. Thanks
Hi George.
There is a nonstop flight from Los Angeles on Delta that is currently operating.
Aloha.
Even tho Hawaiian airlines can’t require 15 min testing, Hawaii could upon entrance if one wasn’t done prior to boarding. I would fly in a heartbeat! Please consider this, as my daughter is military, stationed there and want to see her.
This is found on the Alaska website:
Beginning October 1, 2020: Travelers who have proof of a valid negative COVID-19 test result up to 72 hours prior to arriving at Hawaii’s airports will not be subject to the 14-day quarantine. The Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) from a CLIA-certified laboratory must be done prior to arrival. No testing will be provided upon arrival at the airport. All travelers of all ages are subject to the pre-test requirement.
What do you think?
Confused. Both Alaska Airlines and Dept of Tourism make website statements about eliminating quarantine for arriving passengers with a negative test within the past 72 hours.
Is that misinformation? There are places on the Mainland that can do 2-3 day testing.
“We would welcome a six-month extension of… the CARES Act… Keeping our teams intact through March of next year would provide more time for demand to recover and hopefully reduce the scale of workforce downsizing. We will adjust our plans as legislative developments unfold” This is the mentality that has kept Hawaii closed.
“We would welcome a six-month extension of… the CARES Act… Keeping our teams intact through March of next year would provide more time for demand to recover and hopefully reduce the scale of workforce downsizing. We will adjust our plans as legislative developments unfold”
This corresponds in content to what CEOs of other airlines have been saying, and the way they have been proceeding. How is it somehow “the mentality that has kept Hawaii closed”?
Some day, with any luck, this pandemic issue will end up in the Hawaiian history books. People will be able to look back and have a better understanding of why it all happened. I read an article in the Honolulu Star Advertiser where Lt. Gov Josh Green said that there is pre-arrival testing plan in place. It’s the 72 hour pre-arrival plan. All it needs is approval from Gov. Ige. Most likely Hawaii needs to deal with its internal difficulties with the Covid disease before it can deal with tourist issues. You’re not talking about a big government and it can only deal so many issues at once. Hawaiian Airlines has a number of hurdles it will need to get over in the future. One of the very biggest issues is Southwest Airlines has Hawaiian Air in their sights. My best guess is that as soon as SW gets back into service its 37 Max8 aircraft its going to direct aim at Hawaiian Air. That should happen in the first half of next year. I don’t know how this is going to play out but you could certainly write a book about it.
Mahalo Guys.
Hi Roy.
We’ll be glad to look back at this in history rather than how it appears currently, on the ground.
Thanks.
Aloha.
It’s really quite simple, Hawaii needs to follow exactly what Tahiti is doing. I am currently here on vacation (because Hawaii wouldn’t have us), and the requirements for testing, travel tracking form, couldn’t have been easier. Everything was clearly communicated through the Tahitian government and Air Tahiti Nui.
You fill out an online travel form 3 days prior to departure, which includes all your contact info, where you are traveling, dates of travel, where you are staying and the contact info for your lodging; you get a Covid test 3 days prior (on the Air Tahiti Nui website they gave a recommended place in North Hollywood, and a list of others, (the test could not be a rapid test it had to be a specific type of test, they turned people away from boarding if it was not the right test), you get your results back in 24 hours generally; you show your travel form and negative test results at checkin (no online checking in) and you’re good to go. Then when you land, they give each person a self Covid nasal and oral kit, which you perform on yourself 4 days later and turn in to your hotel or an approved health center. If your 2nd test is negative you don’t hear anything, if positive, they know where you are, and you are picked up and taken to Papeete for quarantine (at your own expense) for 2 weeks or until you test negative. Then once you are here and enjoying yourself, all the same precautions are taken as at home, masks in public places, reminders to wash hands, if you are experiencing symptoms call a doctor, etcetera, and in the more touristed areas they have health ambassadors in bright turquoise shirts walking around reminding visitors about taking precautions, while being kind and welcoming.
Maybe all the above isn’t feasible because of the sheer number of visitors to Hawaii as compared to Tahiti, but they need to try something, and this seems to be working.
Thanks.
Hi Shannon.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Testing is so important. I wouldn’t want to risk sitting in a plane with people who aren’t tested
The behavior of mainland tourists in HI indicates that too many of them wouldn’t follow such a strict regimen. Too many US would-be tourists are screaming about any restrictions at all. You are an exception – have a great vacation!
As a Hawaiian air frequent flier member with reservation booked well in advance for October I agree with and wholeheartedly support the suggestions within this article that would allow for the state to immediately be able to receive travelers from the west coast. What’s so hard it expensive about checking temperatures – they do it in restaurants. And they could invest in rapid testing for the airports? Makes no sense to basically starve Hawaiian businesses like this
Thanks for hearing me out…
Hawaii needs to address the double edge sword of Covid and Economy together and mitigate the risks. Oahu seems to be a problem in itself, and just like mainland states have done, the entire state of Hawaii should not be treated all the same and each island/county could be weighed individually for tourism.
For instance. Maui, Kauai, and the BI could each open to tourism with the proper pre-travel test (and arrival tests) protocols in place. Again, Hawaii gov’t needs to get off their A$$ and whomever is in charge of this get it rolling. Alaska already has a process model in place and Tulsi Gabbard recently commented on a podcast that she recently went through Alaska’s process while traveling their for active duty drills and was impressed.
Each island should only allow direct from mainland flights to avoid quarantine. This is because it has been documented that trans pacific travelers going through Oahu were able to skirt the quarantine due to a trans-pacific flight with an inter-island connection.
As far as comments I’ve read about the hotel industry requiring 4-6 weeks of lead time…forget that. The islands should open when they can and let the hotels figure out how they want to ramp up for tourism individually. I am sure they will be relieved just from the fact it is open. I think the island is going to need a soft, gradual and layered opening anyway…which starts with opening!!!
If Oct 1st happens, being it is usually a shoulder season, that may be the soft opening the islands need in order to be fully ready (and make sure processes are working) by Thanksgiving and the holiday weeks ahead. If it gets moved again, it better be a firm decision to adhere to it.
Hopefully some of the new blood coming into the positions within the Gov’t decision makers will make these hard choices. A laid back culture is a mainstay of island culture, but Ige needs to put this aside and look after its residents in both economy and health.
Hi Craig.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Bleeding through $3 million every day, Hawaiian Airlines had little choice. United announced furloughs for 16,370 of its nearly 100,000 workers, effective 1 October. Delta s furloughing 1,941 pilots. American 19,000 employees on Oct 1. I believe things won’t start to stabilize until the vaccine is available, but with only 50% of people saying they will get the vaccine, “normal” is a long way off.
The airline numbers are worse than that: United said 36,000 employees, or 45% of its front-line workers in the USA and more than a third of its overall workforce of 95,000, face layoffs on or around Oct. 1. The most affected groups: flight attendants and airport customer service and gate agents, which account for 26,000 of the 36,000.
We have tests going on right now in Western New York, because our counts went up, with a 15 minute turnaround.
My heart goes out to the employees of Hawaiian Airlines. With the best service and incredible hospitality, they’re the best in the business in the Hawaiian Islands routes.
Desperate times demand desperate measures.
The antics of all polititians have been reprehensible.
Mahalo to Beat of Hawaii for exposing the games played at the highest levels imaginable.
Hi Polly.
Thanks for your many comments!
Aloha.
I’m not being able to book round trip flights from SEA to Kona via HNL. Since there won’t be change charges, one would think that HAL would start booking flights a year in advance so that they can better anticipate passenger needs. The same applies to the other airlines.
At the end of the day, it’s not any one specific airline’s responsibility to solve the state’s public health problems–though I certainly believe that the people who run Hawaiian Airlines could absolutely do a better job dealing with the pandemic than the people who run the state of Hawaii.
And that’s because corporations and their shareholders–unlike states and counties–demand results. And if the current management can’t deliver those results, they are quickly and easily replaced. Oh were it only so simple to do that in America at the state and county level….
But, yeah, if I were a business that relied almost entirely on tourism to survive–and I had lost a half a billion dollars in market capitalization and–and another half a billion dollars in cashflow in 2020–I’d certainly be raising a pretty big stink with state officials–not to mention a pretty big lawsuit against the state–for failing to act in a professional, effective, and timely manner–to implement a safe, affordable, and effective testing program–which–short of a vaccine–is the only way tourism is going to be allowed to start up again.
Essentially the state of Hawaii has flushed 6 months down the drain–not to mention hundreds of millions of dollars completely wasted on virtually zero effective testing, zero effective contact tracing, and zero effective quarantine enforcement. We had an amazing head start on the virus–SUPER low numbers for months and months and months–and the governor and virtually every department head just stuck their heads in the sand and hoped it would all magically go away–just like the president said it would.
The question for the Hawaiian people really is “What now?” Do we allow these clowns to keep passing the buck and doing nothing??? Allow them to keep destroying the financial lives of a vast number of Hawaiians–whose jobs and businesses are disappearing and failing at a pace never experienced before in the state’s history…???
Sorry but I don’t understand. “Essentially the state of Hawaii has flushed 6 months down the drain” followed by “We had an amazing head start on the virus–super low numbers for months and months and months”
So it looks like the 6 months weren’t wasted at all. And HI still has one of the lowest C-19 rates in the US, if not the world.
Hawaiian Airline should now get involve Air Fright service Hawaii to the West Coast,and inter island service.
As much as your suggestions to solve the problems of Hawaiian make good sense, there are underlying complications that can make a simple solution very unlikely. The airline business is extremely complicated, even during good times, so much that none us will ever know what goes on behind closed doors that we view as an obvious answer. Federal, state, and local politics, regulations, and ordinances all make for an uphill battle that can get in the way of what we think is an easy solution. We all hope they can get past this tough period as they have done in the past.
It is baffling to say the least. 2,000 good paying jobs, down the toilet! The ignorance and lack of common sense is baffling! 50 million dollars a day generated by tourist. 94 percent of the positive covid test are residents. Now here are some facts. Tourism comprises 23% of the economy and 216,000 jobs! So the state is excluding the people who comprise 23% of the economy (tourism) to POTENTIALLY exclude 6% of the covid cases! Now throw in the fact that 100% of those 6% potential covid carriers can be required to come into the islands COVID FREE (i.e. PCR negative test within 48 hours). I am no doctor, but i am thinking that those that provide 23% of the states economy could easily and safely be imported with a miniscule chance (less than .5% of cases) of bringing covid with them! Throw in the fact that only 6% of the deaths, which i think is our major concern, come from those with Covid only, and you really have absolutely no logical reason to keep from opening up to tourist! This could happen next week! require an upload on the new app of a negative pcr test on the new app, within 48 hours, and there you go! if those kind of odds of tourist infecting the island, require another negative test with after 3 days of arrival. This is NOT rocket science, just takes a leader, and governor Ige should be impeached or recalled if he doesnt get off his butt and save some jobs!
At boarding gate tests would help. However, COVID in the human body is not detectable by tests until the 3rd to 5th day of its presence. So, boarding gate testing would not eliminate COVID from being brought to Hawaii by some passengers.
Just one question, with all the crazy things going on in Hawaii can someone tell me what Senator Mazie Hirono has done for our state? We’re sinking here and as far as I can see looking this up she seems to have gone silent. I could be wrong (please forgive me if I am) but I don’t see her doing anything for her state except to attack the President.
Thank you so much BOH for keeping us updated.
Hi Paula.
We have not heard much from her it seems, compared with Ed Case, Brian Schatz, and others. Not sure why.
Aloha.
I just got to the BI from San Diego….what a Cluster-F getting through the gauntlet of tracking and tracing forms. 50 people on the plane…10 min minimum each to complete entry process. First in HNL…then again in KOA. Application is not intuitive….does not retain information from one entry to the next…I see NO WAY to process the volume of tourists needed to stabilize the State economy and rebuild finances.
Hawaiian Airlines can’t openly criticize or disagree with any of policies or quarantines because the local and state government will retaliate. Any critical comment will come back to haunt Hawaiian for years. Retaliation is very much a normal governmental practice in Hawaii.
The politicians need to get their act together. Over the past do yrs, some business partners, and I visited the Big Island to purchase some vacant land to build vacation units. The red tape – coupled with the blatant hostility toward vacation rental owners, we decided to go to a more business-friendly island. We settled for St. Croix.
Now, with this pandemic that seems to have staying power, the Hawaiian economy is going to be decimated. Tourism is going to be at an all-time low, and that’s the island’s lifeline.
We visited St.Croix 20 years ago and loved it. Beautiful island. Great Rum! Would love to return. The way things look – we will probably not be visiting Hawaii again any time soon. It will be a disaster by the time this has all played out that will require years and years to recover from. We haven’t seen the worst of this yet. It is still coming. ALL the airlines are planning huge lay offs soon. It just gets worse and worse. Vacationing will probably be the least of our worries very soon.
There is no more money. Open up and move on like Mexico has done. Eventually that is what is going to happen. The vaccine won’t change anything. If the flu shot really worked there would be no flu. The covid vaccine won’t stop the spread. Time to wake up and get back to normal. Tourism is dying all over the world. Hawaii, the Caribbean, Las Vegas, cruiselines and ports they stop in like Alaska, theme parks, airlines and most hotels. People are not staying home, they are driving around their countries living off unemployment because the essential workers are still working and have been the whole time. But the economy is hurting and people are losing their jobs permanently because this can’t go on.
Interesting comments. Going into a new market is never profitable for at least a year typically longer, thus increasing cash burn rate.
Hi I’m not sure what the answer is for Hawaiian Air and the State of Hawaii. I do know that someone needs to step forward and make a decision before anymore of the island people loose their jobs, homes and more importantly their ability to care for their families. Please someone in a responsibly caring position step forward and save our communities. Mahalo
Hi Tricia.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Hello, I have a lot of family in Hawaii which are mostly on Maui. Hard to believe that the state has basically been shut down for six months straight. With tourism being a very large part of the economy, it is unfathomable to me to think the Governor and Mayors would place it’s local residents in this type of lifestyle. Worrying about bringing in money for their families. There has been very little transparency from the local government. At least state a plan of action and then alter it if things need to be changed so mainlanders and locals can prepare for the return of tourists and visitors. I check quite frequently on the status and is very difficult to find any information let alone updated information. I am calling on the governor of Hawaii to make a plan for the residents as well as tourists and visitors so everyone can at least make future plans. We also have a rental on Maui, which we stay at quite often and rent out half the time. No income from that and we are paying our mortgage as well as all the high HOA fees……I feel for the people of Hawaii as they are being kept from making a living for their families.
Now you’ve got me worried, canceled reservations for October, rescheduled for February, Hope they get their act together
Ige, like most guv’nurs found it relatively easy to shut everything down but aled to immediately start planning on how to reopen their respective states. The sad part is how completely the country was played as to the veracity of the numbers being pushed out from the CDC as to what tests were being done and grouping them accordingly such that there was one giant file of mixed mode testing as to who was an active case and who may have had it at some indeterminate time in the past but was no longer a spreader. You can’t fault them for getting bad data but Every state had someone interfacing with the CDC and those people did NOT ask the right questions relative to the data. And not taking into account how the virus has already been shown to have mutated as far back as June to a more virulent form but with less health effects and that is still in play everywhere. Truly a sad situation to have a tourism driven economy go down the tubes with almost unbelievable decisions being made on a daily or weekly basis by supposed leaders who are not suffering economically but can indeed make the citizenry suffer greatly. But you voted for it and this is what you get.
Hawaiian Airlines should team up with Abbot Labs who have come up with a 5 min. Covid-19 test. This $5 rapid test can be administered at the airport and can be included in the price of the ticket. The administration has to work with Hawaiian Airlines to make this happen and get the much needed economy going.
CEO Ingram says ” We would welcome a six months extension of the Cares Act” Do you realize Hawaiian Airlines received 654 million dollars already? You ask why is Hawaiian Air not pushing to reopen Hawaii, why are they laying off thousands of employees? Why are non-essential Hawaiian forced to live in poverty while fat-cat corporations wallow in government bailouts? Why should Hawaiians pay for these bailouts? The economy is going to be destroyed, and the rich get richer.
What happened to “We are all in this together?” Please consider 1.4 million live in Hawaii and only 81 have died.
very well said
Jeanie has the right idea, but Beat says the airlines can’t make testing mandatory. Why not? it’s a health crisis!
And that there is a mask of secrecy around the testing issue. Why is that? An investigative reporter out to develop that story.
Jonathan’s is right on point too as the Governors door is where I’d be if I were CEO of airline.
Even more proactive would be to create a consortium of the various hotels and airlines and other stake holders in Hawaii tourism to provide funds to buy tests and provide them free to tourists and inter-island travelers. Why not?
Time for Hawaiian Airlines to publicly share what is happening or not happening “behind the scenes” ! Time for them to publicly expose the incompetence of Ige et al. ! Time for them to publicly demand solutions not endless “talk” ! Unless you get the Hawaiian citizens to rattle the cages of the government, nothing will change. To wait for a Washington bail-out is what I think most Blue States are banking on, as they allow their economies to turn to dust- good luck with that, as functioning Red state citizens are not going go along with increasing their taxes to bailout fools. I speak as a citizen of the once great State of California, now turning into a 3rd world nation right before my 4th generation Californian eyes. Unbelievable! Yet, believable when you realize that Democrats think they can tax their way out of any mess they have willfully created…” …you eventually run out of other people’s $$$- Margaret Thatcher”, as thousands are fleeing California in mass- just lost 3 neighbors to other states this month alone.
Nita, you are completely correct and well said. I also live in CA and this state is getting real bad with Gavin Newsom running the show. Closing things up everywhere and is exerting his power hungry motions. The people of Hawaii need to rise up and come together and place pressure on Governor Ige. I have family over in Hawaii and everyone is struggling without the tourism happening. The state needs to at least come up with a plan and a timeline not only for residents but also for the locals………
Democrats??!
We wouldn’t be in this mess if we had a competent government; instead, we have a bunch of incompetent sycophants, who’s not looking to inform the public but to cover up the republican occupiers’ complete debacle.
The cares act is a double edged sword. I’m all for helping Hawaiian Airlines but not at the expense of local small businesses. What I’m afraid of is that the cares act would take the pressure off of State Government by helping the large employers, which would leave the small shops and restaurants having to fend for themselves longer. The situation needs to get worse enough that the State either takes action to fix things or the decision makers get replaced.
Wake up Hawaiian Airlines , go to Abbott Laboratory and make a deal at $5.00 per test and let’s open up next week and who cares what your Governor says , he’s not paying the bills and Obviously He doesn’t care….
@TimZ. But, the Governor (and the other state legislatures) helps set travel rules ???
Is anyone still allowed to travel to Hawaii during Covid? I normally go to Hawaii every year solo for a week but this might be the first year where I can’t go.
Any thoughts or advice from anyone who has traveled to Hawaii during covid? I am from California.
You would need to come for at least 3 weeks. The first two weeks would be in quarantine, and then any time after that would be where you could be out and about. There are lots of deals so you could come for a month, with the quarantine weeks pretty much free. So the question would be if you could take off a month.
So true, Alfred. I live in Arizona and visited my relatives on Oahu. Could not go anywhere for 2 weeks, then we could drive around but nothing to do or see because all is closed. Even the beaches. Pretty sad. The numbers were rising as we left.
I can ! Benefits of semi retirement haha. But I did not want to be part of the problem right now + I do not want to jeopardize my health with rapid testing non-existent. I definitely do not want to sit to people in the plane not knowing whether or not they’re safe
Nita, you are completely correct and well said. I also live in CA and this state is getting real bad with Gavin Newsom running the show. Closing things up everywhere and is exerting his power hungry motions. The people of Hawaii need to rise up and come together and place pressure on Governor Ige. I have family over in Hawaii and everyone is struggling without the tourism happening. The state needs to at least come up with a plan and a timeline not only for residents but also for the locals………
I thinks it’s safe to say Hawaiian wants to open as quickly as possible, my guess is they are doing all they can to help but wisely are
not making a public scene by pointing fingers and making accusations. They have to work with the state no matter what cards
they are dealt.
It seems to me the state should be doing all they can to support Hawaiian. It’s in Hawaii’s best interest as the less
Hawaiian shrinks the less the state of Hawaii will lose paying unemployment benefits. In addition it’s always been Hawaiian that supported the state when there’s a downturn. Mainland airlines come and go, for instance after Iniki it was Hawaiian that carried the state while others scaled back.
Same is true now, mainland airlines are adjusting their flights to whatever benefits them, not Hawaii. Hawaiian needs to be able to
rapidly build up when tourism returns for the states benefit .
The state should be promoting “fly local” along with “buy local”. Hawaiian is an important resource that I’m guessing the politicians don’t fully comprehend.
Aloha to all, we’ll get through this. Hawaii always has and always will be a very special place.
Hi John.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Alfred, I’m interested, and CAN make a “month” available, and help support the travel economy. Where are the offers such as this listed? I’d send you my email address, but this site will not publish it.
And I don’t care much for the tenor of the political anger brewing in responses to this posting– Is anybody other than me tired of the blame game? I’ve always visited HI to take a break from grievance politics, even though I have my own opinions.. . Thanks, Beat–
Hi Nick.
Thanks. If Alfred lets us know, we’ll be happy to get him your email address.
Aloha.
You could come for a longer time period, but it may not be the best time to visit. Beaches, most restaurants, trails, hotels, most of everything is closed as we are still seeing triple digit cases and now increasing number of hospitalizations and deaths. Our people are on edge. Nurses are worried — our ICUs have only a handful of beds, Here on Hawai’i Island. Next year might be a better time.