112 thoughts on “Why Airlines Just Pressed Pause on Hawaii Deals and Ramp-Up”
James B
Here’s the biggest elephant that nobody has mentioned. The mainland now has infection rates higher than in the initial pre-shutdown. Western states, with higher visitor counts, are especially impacted. Arizona has an astounding 25% positive test rate and hospitals reaching capacity.
My business (vacation rentals) has been shut down since March, so a revived influx of visitors should be of the highest priority. It isn’t. I realize that introducing the irresponsibility of Governors who re-opened too soon and without a plan would exact the same results in Hawaii.
Tests and temp. checks are a great idea on paper, but with a five hour minimum flight, there’s no guarantee that infections happen enroute and symptoms not appearing for several days.
Dave R
Many people agree with you. And as long as each area is free to set their own rules, we’ll be playing ‘whack a mole’ with C19 forever.
Michelle W
Mahalo!
Maybe we up here in Canada can “bubble” with Hawaii? We have kept things pretty flat here and god knows we need somewhere to travel to that’s equally flat!
Stay safe over there so we can come back and visit soon.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Michelle.
Oh yeah – the travel bubbles. Thank you.
Aloha.
Curtis C.
I would feel the same way too if I had to live in Canada for 12 months a year!
Mike K
Not a surprise. No Hawaii trips this year. Perhaps next year but not making plans yet.
PamM
I too spoke to CVS pharmacies which at this time are literally closing several stores. They deny any “deal” with Hawai’i.
The current testing times are getting longer as do the list of people needing the test.
Most places doing testing will actually laugh at you if you say it’s for travelling to Hawai’i.
This isn’t a laughing matter.
Governor Ige is playing with fire on so many levels.
Here’s to hoping that things get better soon for everyone involved.
Much Aloha to everyone out there and much mahalo to Beat of Hawai’i.
You guys are simply amazing!!🌺
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Pam.
Thanks very much! And we appreciate your many comments.
Aloha.
Ann
I sure hope the state gets their act together soon. We have reservations for the end of next month. I’d like to know what we need to do and what exactly will be open before we depart. If they can’t get it together we’ll have to start thinking about changing our plans. Unfortunately not in Hawaii
James B
Please read articles about Florida’s getting their “act together”. In other words “live (or die) with it.” Good luck on your chosen destination. We wish you health and a trip to the most beautiful place on earth in the safe future.
Scott
Don’t hold your breath….change your plans.
Kalina
I don’t think our state is any worse than other states as many commenters imply about our leaders. Why come here if we’re so disorganized? Ah yes, because our case count is low and you love our beaches. Our leaders have no crystal ball and the vast majority of our residents are satisfied at how things are going here…even those who are out of work. No one has past experience with pandemics to draw up a concrete plan because look what’s happening on the Mainland.
I too had to cancel a long-awaited vacation to Japan–my very first trip to my ancestral country. Disappointing, but I just accepted this and not whining about it. Not grumbling about Japan banning foreign visitors. Just being patient DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED PANDEMIC.
Ask yourself what’s best for EVERYONE, not just for your own pleasure. In the long run you will hopefully realize your stressing about a VACATION is utterly trivial.
P.S. Yes we are suffering financially, but the consensus here is better that then dealing with an explosion of disease. Please cancel your plans for now and let’s all be patient. Thank you.
Tony M.
Aloha Kalina,
I am being critical of politicians, not the good people of Hawaii. You are quite correct that the United States’ response to this Pandemic is not going to make the highlight reel at the annual UN Ball.
I deal with businesses small and large, and the worse thing for business is uncertainty. That is my main concern. It’s not enough for the Governor to make vague promises that may not hold up in August. In the end, Government and Business have to work together. There needs to be leadership issuing clear and realistic guidelines that businesses can rely upon when investing resources. Otherwise, the outcome in August may be disappointing to all.
Finally, I hope you get to come to Japan. Japan is opening up and we are seeing hotspots as people are hitting the bars and clubs. One nice thing is that most people are wearing masks. Forget Social Distancing, it’s a polite fiction and impossible in public places. Japanese are staying home this year.
I’m an American living with my family in Ehime, Japan and have family in California, Texas, East Coast, and Puerto Rico. So I’m covering a lot of bases!
Wishing you the best!
Dave R
“Japan is opening up and we are seeing hotspots as people are hitting the bars and clubs.” This doesn’t seem like an attraction for visitors. We’ve been looking at a lot of Japanese sites from Honshu to Amami. They all have prominent travel restrictions notifications on their first page. There’s no reason to fly around during this worldwide critical situation. Travelers can get C19, they can spread C19, and the entire experience is just too different. In addition, the last thing Japan needs is more breaking the rules. Because that is what they will do.
Dave R
What would you define as ‘getting their act together?” Opening up so that they can get the terrible results of states like Arizona, California, Florida and others that are experiencing serious surges?
Jenny C
My concern would be if you tested positive, would that be too late to receive any refunds for airfare, car rental, condo rentals, etc….. We are planning a 3 week stay in October, we are first time visitors but has been on our bucket list for a long time and we have already rescheduled from our planned May trip this year.
Thank you so much for the information you give as it is the most useful information we have found.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Jenny.
Thank you. Good question. What we know is that airlines will refund if you have a temperature. We have not heard a word about refunds regarding test results.
Aloha.
JC
I’m curious as to how many folks here are trying to get to the islands as soon as possible and how many are waiting for more concrete news (vaccine, reduced rates on the mainland etc.)?
Tom K
JC – My wife and I had a 3-week vacation planned for Kauai in May to view condos, as we plan to retire in Kauai. Obviously, that didn’t happen. Right now I suspect we will “wait it out” until there is a vaccine. Since we’re both in our mid-60’s the risk just doesn’t make sense, especially since we’re coming from the East Coast. Ironically, my wife is a Level 1 ER/Trauma Manager and has been in the front lines of this. God Bless Her.
Debbie W
Mahalo for your wisdom in waiting it out. Your consideration is appreciated. Your wife no doubt understands that this is not a little flu. With over 3 million people infected on the mainland USA, Hawaii is doing its best to protect its people and its health care facilities from thousands of new incidents that are completely avoidable if people weren’t so self centered. There is more at stake than their vacation. Aloha!
NikiS.
We have reservations for 8/8 and eagerly waiting for more specifics on testing prior to departure.
Jill R
We also have reservations for Aug. 8. Waiting to hear more news about what to plan on!
Lo
After holding out for several months, today, my family canceled our trip to Kauai at the end of August. Our concern is the required testing, which is not available in our area unless a doctor orders it. We’re planning on going to the U.S. Virgin Islands instead. We appreciate all the information from Beat of Hawaii. It’s helped keep us informed on what is going on in our favorite vacation spot.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Lo.
Thank you.
Aloha.
Kim T.
I very much appreciate your updates. It’s a trying time. Who would have thought when I purchased my airline tickets for Aug 6 that this pandemic would have still been an issue? I really thought it was going to bre in the rearview by now. I’m torn between canceling and traveling, learning toward canceling for obvious reasons.
Thank you for all the good info!
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Kim.
Thank you. We definitely relate to the uncertainty. It isn’t all that clear even being here in the ground. That’s the new world to a large degree it seems. Once there is the next update from the state, stakeholders may feel more certain. That should translate to more things reopening.
Aloha.
Tracey C.
We are trying to get to Maui “as soon as possible.” So far, we have rebooked our original trip in May to July, and now mid-August. Our daughter and her husband live there and I usually go twice a year to visit. It’s difficult for this momma to go much more than 6 months without seeing the kids.
Dave R
It looks like you’re asking for responses, so here’s ours:
We had our ‘trip of a lifetime’ to Hawai’i planned for May 2020 (the entire month). Obviously we did not go. We’re not even thinking about plans for a re-schedule. There’s no point; everything is too unsettled. Hawai’i will still be there no matter what. And we’re not making alternative plans, either. We have no need or desire to travel, just for the sake of travel. There are plenty of productive ways to spend free time near home. In addition, this isn’t the best time to spend thousands of dollars on travel. That money might come in handy for a variety of reasons.
How confident would you be in a trip to Kaui, then Maui that was scheduled in December for August 2, 2020 ? We live in California and have a C0vid-19 test date for all 6 of us from Kaiser Healthcare on July 30, 2020. They claim their test results would be ready digitally in 24-36 hours ? We have reservations in Timeshares we own, will the locals be ready for a few visitors ?
Glen P.
What form of test results will airlines accept?
Probably not an electronic form. Easily forged.
Kim T.
Glen P., I read that an email notification was adequate within the stated timeframe.
Michael
I look forward to visiting Hawai’i again… after there’s a vaccine. In the meantime, air travel is a no-go and I’ll be buying gift certificates to all my favorite Hawai’i destinations.
JC
That’s a good idea. It helps to off load the costs on the front end while supporting local businesses. I’ll look into that as well.
Sheryl B
Michael. you may want to be very careful about buying those gift certificates just yet. I have a feeling Hawaii we have all come to know and love will look very different by the time things actually start to open up. It would not surprise me if many of those favorite destinations never open back up. I know a couple of our favorites are already gone for good. It is happening all over the mainland, so I can only imagine how devastating this shutdown has been for the local businesses.
Comments are closed.
Aloha!
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Here’s the biggest elephant that nobody has mentioned. The mainland now has infection rates higher than in the initial pre-shutdown. Western states, with higher visitor counts, are especially impacted. Arizona has an astounding 25% positive test rate and hospitals reaching capacity.
My business (vacation rentals) has been shut down since March, so a revived influx of visitors should be of the highest priority. It isn’t. I realize that introducing the irresponsibility of Governors who re-opened too soon and without a plan would exact the same results in Hawaii.
Tests and temp. checks are a great idea on paper, but with a five hour minimum flight, there’s no guarantee that infections happen enroute and symptoms not appearing for several days.
Many people agree with you. And as long as each area is free to set their own rules, we’ll be playing ‘whack a mole’ with C19 forever.
Mahalo!
Maybe we up here in Canada can “bubble” with Hawaii? We have kept things pretty flat here and god knows we need somewhere to travel to that’s equally flat!
Stay safe over there so we can come back and visit soon.
Hi Michelle.
Oh yeah – the travel bubbles. Thank you.
Aloha.
I would feel the same way too if I had to live in Canada for 12 months a year!
Not a surprise. No Hawaii trips this year. Perhaps next year but not making plans yet.
I too spoke to CVS pharmacies which at this time are literally closing several stores. They deny any “deal” with Hawai’i.
The current testing times are getting longer as do the list of people needing the test.
Most places doing testing will actually laugh at you if you say it’s for travelling to Hawai’i.
This isn’t a laughing matter.
Governor Ige is playing with fire on so many levels.
Here’s to hoping that things get better soon for everyone involved.
Much Aloha to everyone out there and much mahalo to Beat of Hawai’i.
You guys are simply amazing!!🌺
Hi Pam.
Thanks very much! And we appreciate your many comments.
Aloha.
I sure hope the state gets their act together soon. We have reservations for the end of next month. I’d like to know what we need to do and what exactly will be open before we depart. If they can’t get it together we’ll have to start thinking about changing our plans. Unfortunately not in Hawaii
Please read articles about Florida’s getting their “act together”. In other words “live (or die) with it.” Good luck on your chosen destination. We wish you health and a trip to the most beautiful place on earth in the safe future.
Don’t hold your breath….change your plans.
I don’t think our state is any worse than other states as many commenters imply about our leaders. Why come here if we’re so disorganized? Ah yes, because our case count is low and you love our beaches. Our leaders have no crystal ball and the vast majority of our residents are satisfied at how things are going here…even those who are out of work. No one has past experience with pandemics to draw up a concrete plan because look what’s happening on the Mainland.
I too had to cancel a long-awaited vacation to Japan–my very first trip to my ancestral country. Disappointing, but I just accepted this and not whining about it. Not grumbling about Japan banning foreign visitors. Just being patient DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED PANDEMIC.
Ask yourself what’s best for EVERYONE, not just for your own pleasure. In the long run you will hopefully realize your stressing about a VACATION is utterly trivial.
P.S. Yes we are suffering financially, but the consensus here is better that then dealing with an explosion of disease. Please cancel your plans for now and let’s all be patient. Thank you.
Aloha Kalina,
I am being critical of politicians, not the good people of Hawaii. You are quite correct that the United States’ response to this Pandemic is not going to make the highlight reel at the annual UN Ball.
I deal with businesses small and large, and the worse thing for business is uncertainty. That is my main concern. It’s not enough for the Governor to make vague promises that may not hold up in August. In the end, Government and Business have to work together. There needs to be leadership issuing clear and realistic guidelines that businesses can rely upon when investing resources. Otherwise, the outcome in August may be disappointing to all.
Finally, I hope you get to come to Japan. Japan is opening up and we are seeing hotspots as people are hitting the bars and clubs. One nice thing is that most people are wearing masks. Forget Social Distancing, it’s a polite fiction and impossible in public places. Japanese are staying home this year.
I’m an American living with my family in Ehime, Japan and have family in California, Texas, East Coast, and Puerto Rico. So I’m covering a lot of bases!
Wishing you the best!
“Japan is opening up and we are seeing hotspots as people are hitting the bars and clubs.” This doesn’t seem like an attraction for visitors. We’ve been looking at a lot of Japanese sites from Honshu to Amami. They all have prominent travel restrictions notifications on their first page. There’s no reason to fly around during this worldwide critical situation. Travelers can get C19, they can spread C19, and the entire experience is just too different. In addition, the last thing Japan needs is more breaking the rules. Because that is what they will do.
What would you define as ‘getting their act together?” Opening up so that they can get the terrible results of states like Arizona, California, Florida and others that are experiencing serious surges?
My concern would be if you tested positive, would that be too late to receive any refunds for airfare, car rental, condo rentals, etc….. We are planning a 3 week stay in October, we are first time visitors but has been on our bucket list for a long time and we have already rescheduled from our planned May trip this year.
Thank you so much for the information you give as it is the most useful information we have found.
Hi Jenny.
Thank you. Good question. What we know is that airlines will refund if you have a temperature. We have not heard a word about refunds regarding test results.
Aloha.
I’m curious as to how many folks here are trying to get to the islands as soon as possible and how many are waiting for more concrete news (vaccine, reduced rates on the mainland etc.)?
JC – My wife and I had a 3-week vacation planned for Kauai in May to view condos, as we plan to retire in Kauai. Obviously, that didn’t happen. Right now I suspect we will “wait it out” until there is a vaccine. Since we’re both in our mid-60’s the risk just doesn’t make sense, especially since we’re coming from the East Coast. Ironically, my wife is a Level 1 ER/Trauma Manager and has been in the front lines of this. God Bless Her.
Mahalo for your wisdom in waiting it out. Your consideration is appreciated. Your wife no doubt understands that this is not a little flu. With over 3 million people infected on the mainland USA, Hawaii is doing its best to protect its people and its health care facilities from thousands of new incidents that are completely avoidable if people weren’t so self centered. There is more at stake than their vacation. Aloha!
We have reservations for 8/8 and eagerly waiting for more specifics on testing prior to departure.
We also have reservations for Aug. 8. Waiting to hear more news about what to plan on!
After holding out for several months, today, my family canceled our trip to Kauai at the end of August. Our concern is the required testing, which is not available in our area unless a doctor orders it. We’re planning on going to the U.S. Virgin Islands instead. We appreciate all the information from Beat of Hawaii. It’s helped keep us informed on what is going on in our favorite vacation spot.
Hi Lo.
Thank you.
Aloha.
I very much appreciate your updates. It’s a trying time. Who would have thought when I purchased my airline tickets for Aug 6 that this pandemic would have still been an issue? I really thought it was going to bre in the rearview by now. I’m torn between canceling and traveling, learning toward canceling for obvious reasons.
Thank you for all the good info!
Hi Kim.
Thank you. We definitely relate to the uncertainty. It isn’t all that clear even being here in the ground. That’s the new world to a large degree it seems. Once there is the next update from the state, stakeholders may feel more certain. That should translate to more things reopening.
Aloha.
We are trying to get to Maui “as soon as possible.” So far, we have rebooked our original trip in May to July, and now mid-August. Our daughter and her husband live there and I usually go twice a year to visit. It’s difficult for this momma to go much more than 6 months without seeing the kids.
It looks like you’re asking for responses, so here’s ours:
We had our ‘trip of a lifetime’ to Hawai’i planned for May 2020 (the entire month). Obviously we did not go. We’re not even thinking about plans for a re-schedule. There’s no point; everything is too unsettled. Hawai’i will still be there no matter what. And we’re not making alternative plans, either. We have no need or desire to travel, just for the sake of travel. There are plenty of productive ways to spend free time near home. In addition, this isn’t the best time to spend thousands of dollars on travel. That money might come in handy for a variety of reasons.
southern cali Dodger stadium free testing. tests results in 30 hours
CLOSED Today….
https://deadline.com/2020/07/los-angeles-coronavirus-dodger-stadium-testing-site-closed-positivity-rate-jumps-1202978672/
How confident would you be in a trip to Kaui, then Maui that was scheduled in December for August 2, 2020 ? We live in California and have a C0vid-19 test date for all 6 of us from Kaiser Healthcare on July 30, 2020. They claim their test results would be ready digitally in 24-36 hours ? We have reservations in Timeshares we own, will the locals be ready for a few visitors ?
What form of test results will airlines accept?
Probably not an electronic form. Easily forged.
Glen P., I read that an email notification was adequate within the stated timeframe.
I look forward to visiting Hawai’i again… after there’s a vaccine. In the meantime, air travel is a no-go and I’ll be buying gift certificates to all my favorite Hawai’i destinations.
That’s a good idea. It helps to off load the costs on the front end while supporting local businesses. I’ll look into that as well.
Michael. you may want to be very careful about buying those gift certificates just yet. I have a feeling Hawaii we have all come to know and love will look very different by the time things actually start to open up. It would not surprise me if many of those favorite destinations never open back up. I know a couple of our favorites are already gone for good. It is happening all over the mainland, so I can only imagine how devastating this shutdown has been for the local businesses.