Fourteen Hawaiian Airlines flight attendants, based in Honolulu, have tested positive, while sixty employees have been asked to self-isolate for 14-days. This was as a result of masks not being required at a training program. Hawaiian also indicated that one of the flight attendants had worked on a flight prior to feeling sick. Company rules have since changed to help prevent another incident going forward.
Dr. Sarah Park, the Hawaii state epidemiologist, said those involved had been told, “masking was optional. She added, “It is the act of gathering and letting our guard down, not wearing a mask.”
Beat of Hawaii: Hawaiian has always been extremely safety conscious. We sense that masking will be required at all times in the future to also protect employee to employee interactions.
In a letter to employees, Hawaiian CEO Peter Ingram said those involved were attending a two-day training that included close interaction. He said that masks will now be required instead of recommended for employees in the HA offices. “In response, we have revised our training policies to reduce the risk of virus spread in these settings. We are also making sure that these valued members of our ohana are receiving the proper medical care, and that we contact all who may have been in proximity.”
Hawaiian Airlines has since revised its employee safety measures. They have canceled training for two weeks for both deep cleaning and the implementation of more rigorous protocols.
Alex Da Silva, Hawaii spokesperson said, “We are supporting our team members in their recovery, and other employees involved in the training have been self-monitoring their health, in accordance with CDC and state Department of Health guidance provided to us… We have also reinforced our office protocols to keep our employees safe and have temporarily canceled our flight attendant training in order to deep clean our facilities.”
Safety protocols onboard Hawaiian Airlines flights.
Passengers are required to wear face masks on all Hawaiian Air flights, and flight attendants wear them as well when serving guests. While a complimentary meal is still offered, no drinks are poured (bottles and cans only), Pau Hana cart snack cart sales are gone, no alcohol is served in coach, and not seen any longer are pillows, blankets, and newspapers.
This training class cluster is now 24 people AND 1 of those people infected others at 2 gyms on Oahu. This started 2 more virus clusters of approximately 20 more people. Anyone considering long haul flights for vacation or non-essential travel during a pan demic clearly isn’t taking this public health crisis seriously.
And while everyone else is abiding by “rules” what flights were affected?.has it been released so that passengers can be tested, and lets see how many are infected from that?…my families trip is cancelled not because of the restrictions on island or prior..its those on the plane..I don’t care how much planes are sanitized..its the ones that’t abide and in this case Hawaiian is its own worse enemy!!!
Were flight 141 hilo to Hnl
& flt 522 NHL to hilo affected on July 2, 2020? I flew that day.
Thank you
Hi Jo Ann.
Sorry, we do not have that information.
Aloha.
I find it interesting how the National Media is only talking about how people are catching this flu virus, with the “rise in cases”, but not one “peep” about the number of deaths in relation to the total number of cases and/or the actual survival rates. I am all for safety, but the fear mongering clearly continues.
I am curious…am I the only one that thinks the hundreds of thousands of protesters and rioters not wearing face masks, have a significant contribution to the rise in cases, as well as the significant increase in amount of testing that’s been going on over the last 3 months?
If you were a nurse at this time on the front line it wouldn’t matter how you got the virus but what to do to stop it at any cost. This is not time to blame just do the 3 things being asked. And they are not difficult. Wear a mask to protect yourself and others, wash your hands and social distance. It’s about being human and caring what happens to all of us. Not about pride or politics or civil liberties.
Have a nice day and stay well.
interesting comment…are you practicing safety protocol such as washing hands properly, keep you surfaces clean, shower daily, wear masks and social distancing.? If not, then you should not point out that the protesters are major contributors. Perhaps, you should look at the man in the mirror. Good day!
No alcohol in Coach. Does this mean there is alcohol in First class and Business class? What’s the rationale behind that? The passengers are on a flying Petri dish. C0VID won’t stay in First or Business; it will float around the plane.
After all that is known about transmission and that wearing a mask is scientifically proven to greatly reduce the spread of the horrid virus that Hawaiian Airlines did not have mandatory masking is ludicrous and has now put more people’s lives at risks. Shame on the company, shame on the employees. No wonder America is way ahead of other countries in cases.