LIHUE Tuesday was the first day for residents to travel interisland without being quarantined, and at Lihue Airport three women from Oahu took the opportunity to fly over to Kauai and pick up new, furry family members.
We came to pick up our puppies that have been waiting for us, said Oahu resident June Rae, cuddling one of the three-week-old red toy poodles alongside traveling companions Mani Woo and Christina Martinovic.
The trio has been waiting to pick up the puppies until quarantine was lifted. They said the dogs were about $2,000 each, bought through Kauai-based John Burgess, owner of Hawaiian Xotix Toy Poodles and Yorkies.
Rae said the three were planning to fly back to Oahu on a return trip later in the day, and said the interisland process was fairly smooth to navigate. The main challenge they faced was keeping their masks on.
Rae said they downloaded the newly-required inter-island travel forms ahead of time, which helped streamline the pre-boarding process. Planning ahead, they said, was the key to smooth travel.
When you first arrive the National Guard will go ahead and take your temperature, and we go through a line. Then you go to the person who is going to collect those forms, and they just review it to make sure its signed, said Maritnovic.
Rae said she even brought onto the flight a small spray bottle of hand sanitizer and they didnt say anything to me.
Martinovic, Woo and Rae said they noticed the flight from Oahu to Kauai was pretty full.
I didnt feel like there was much social distancing on the plane, Martinovic said.
Rae added: Yeah, there were people next to you if you were seated on the two-seater side.
Martinovic said Hawaiian Airlines staff was very welcoming and happy to see customers.
Sheleah Watson also arrived on Kauai on an Oahu flight on Tuesday morning, traveling with her kids. Watson works at Barking Sands on the Westside of Kauai, and was traveling for work. She said her flight was fairly empty, with chairs in between passengers.
When traveling with kids, (that) helps, she said, expressing her gratitude for the resumption of interisland flights. Im glad they are opening it between the islands. I think it makes sense. Im here for work. I work at the end of Barking Sands.
Watson said the process was easier than she thought it would be, especially if passengers plan ahead, fill forms out before arriving at the airport and follow the rules.
Hawaiian Airliness Senior Specialist for External Communications Marissa Villegas said Hawaiian Airlines is excited to greet residents once again.
We are thrilled to be able to reconnect kamaaina with their family and friends and give them the opportunity to take a much-needed staycation on a Neighbor Island, said Villegas. Given Hawaiis success in managing the spread of COVID-19, we believe that neighbor island travel will help stimulate economic activity across the state and serve as a critical indicator in the phased reopening of Hawaii.
According to Hawaiian Airlines, they want their guests to feel confident traveling to, from and between the islands, and they want Hawaii residents on every island to feel comfortable accepting travelers.
Villegas said that, During this time, we have adopted numerous measures throughout our operations to protect the health of our employees and guests and give travelers peace of mind, including frequent cleaning and disinfecting of our airport spaces and aircraft, electrostatic spraying of cabins, check-in, boarding, seating and deplaning procedures to increase personal space, encouraging travelers to check-in via our mobile app, and requiring employees and guests to wear a face covering (except for young children and those unable to do so due to a medical condition).
Weve also capped our main cabin load factors at 70%, and blocked all middle seats to ensure our guests and crew-members have more personal space, said Villegas.
I recommend you review our Keeping You Safe webpage to learn how we have adjusted our operations so the community may continue to enjoy safe and reliable transportation: hawaiianairlines.com/KeepingYouSafe, said Villegas.
Villegas said Hawaiian Airlines is encouraged by brisk booking activity since the state announced it would remove the interisland quarantine effective Tuesday.
As of today, we have increased frequencies on all of our neighbor island routes, ranging from seven to up to 11 daily round trips per market, based on demand, and will continue to adjust as needed, said Villegas.
To download the newly-required interisland travel form, visit: health.hawaii.gov/travel.
Stephanie Shinno, features and community reporter, can be reached at 245-0424 or sshinno@thegardenisland.com.
Read the original here:
Interisland travelers tell all - Thegardenisland.com
- Water Purification Island - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Private Islands: South China Sea Style - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The Best of Fiji - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- High Cay: Bahamas - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The World: Back on the Market - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The Island Market is Back - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Haunted Halloween Island - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Ambergris Island Property - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Paradise Sinking - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Parrot Cay: Own a Piece of Privacy - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- An Icky Day - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- It's a Cory's! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- There she blows! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Bye bye Whale - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- No Bunting Mistake - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Whale of a time... - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Leaving day - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Look who's back... - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Lanced... - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Migrants role in... - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Pups away! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Double take - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Northerly wind blows - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Northern visitors - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Siege! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Storm time - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Storm season - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Storming over - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Sealing mission - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Still no go - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Over they go! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- All change - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Welcome back storms - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Fight club - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- V Australia to Fiji - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Tahiti Sun Travel For Sale - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Cook Islands Travel Guide - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Perfectly Frank – Fiji - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Cook Islands Tax Hike - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Easter Island Travel Guide - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Surviving Paradise - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Canada Seal Hunt ‘09 - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Tuvalu Travel Guide - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Saudi Arabian Sojourn - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Laurent Pichot on Moorea - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- The Largest Island for Sale in the World. - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Isla Kiniw: Incredible Island Rental - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Save at Sandals Resorts - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Marvelous Mediterranean: Skyropoula Island - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Branson Talks Necker Island - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Hog Island: Affordable Nova Scotia - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- The Banyan Tree: Seychelles - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Celebrity Secret Vacation Spots - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Star Island - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- 7 Islands in 7 Days - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Counting continues - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Life goes on - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Payback time - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- No let up - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Game on - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Deal or No Deal? - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Food glorious food - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Mainland beckons... - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- The tempest is coming - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Tought times ahead - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Tystie day - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Saying Goodbye...maybe - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Departure Day - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Seal pups - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Seabird Breeding Season 2009 - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Maritime Terminal Papeete Tahiti - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- A splash of colour - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Tiger Woods Wife purchases Island Retreat - December 15th, 2009 [December 15th, 2009]
- New Flights to Fiji - December 18th, 2009 [December 18th, 2009]
- Five Star Fiji - December 19th, 2009 [December 19th, 2009]
- Go Farther in Nicaragua - December 19th, 2009 [December 19th, 2009]
- Zoo Island - December 21st, 2009 [December 21st, 2009]
- Seasons Greetings 2009 - December 23rd, 2009 [December 23rd, 2009]
- Green Ark Island - December 23rd, 2009 [December 23rd, 2009]
- Merry Christmas! - December 25th, 2009 [December 25th, 2009]