HONOLULU, Sept. 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hawaiian
Airlines is making it easy for travelers to finally take a
long-awaited Hawai'i vacation with convenient drive-through
COVID-19 tests in select U.S. mainland gateways that will allow
guests to bypass the state of Hawai'i quarantine and begin enjoying
the islands from the moment they arrive.
Hawaiian's partnership with Worksite Labs will give guests
exclusive access to drive-through PCR testing ($90 for results within 36 hours, or $150 for day-of-travel express service) from
dedicated, conveniently located labs. Hawai'i's hometown carrier
expects to start offering the Droplet Digital PCR shallow nasal
swab tests – a "gold standard" COVID-19 screening that meets state
of Hawai'i guidelines – around Oct.
15, when travelers who test negative within 72 hours of
departure will be exempt from Hawai'i's 14-day quarantine upon
arrival.
Hawaiian's initial labs will be operational near Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO) international airports,
with more testing locations coming soon at its other U.S. mainland
gateways.
"As Hawai'i's leading airline, it is critical to ensure that
access to testing does not impede travel to Hawai'i, for visitors
or our kama'āina (residents)," said Avi
Mannis, senior vice president of marketing at Hawaiian
Airlines. "Our testing option will offer Los Angeles and Bay Area travelers superior
value and we look forward to expanding the program and bringing
additional choices to more of our gateway cities as we welcome
guests back with our industry leading Hawaiian hospitality, while
keeping our community safe. We're grateful to the state of Hawai'i
for its partnership in developing the pre-travel testing
program."
"Worksite Labs is proud to offer Hawaiian this innovative
solution as we work to combat the current pandemic and provide more
testing options so travelers can understand their COVID-19 status
and enjoy their trip to Hawai'i while stimulating the local
economy," said Gary Frazier, CEO of
Worksite Labs.
Hawaiian Airlines is actively developing additional testing
partnerships to support travelers' needs, with more to be announced
soon. The state of Hawai'i also continues to expand its list of
partners for testing.
In addition to offering its guests convenient testing, Hawaiian
has implemented a comprehensive health and safety program covering
all aspects of their journey.
Starting at check-in, guests must complete a health
acknowledgment form indicating they are free of COVID-19 symptoms
and will wear an adequate face mask or covering at the airport and
during the flight. Guests 2 years of age and older who are unable
to wear a face mask or covering due to a medical condition or
disability must undergo a health screening to board.
Hawaiian's "Keeping you Safe" enhanced cleaning includes
frequent disinfecting of lobby areas, kiosks, and ticket counters,
electrostatic aircraft cabin spraying, plexiglass barriers at
staffed airport counters, and sanitizer wipe distribution to all
guests. The carrier, which has been operating a reduced
schedule since March due to the pandemic and resulting travel
restrictions, will continue to cap cabin capacity at 70 percent
through October to allow for onboard distancing.
All travelers arriving in Hawai'i or flying between the islands
must now also complete the state's online Safe Travels Hawai'i
form.
About Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian® has led all U.S. carriers in on-time
performance for each of the past 16 years (2004-2019) as reported
by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Consumer surveys by
Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and
TripAdvisor have placed Hawaiian among the top of all
domestic airlines serving Hawai'i.
Now in its 91st year of continuous service, Hawaiian is
Hawai'i's biggest and longest-serving airline. In 2019, Hawaiian
offered nonstop flights between Hawai'i and more U.S. gateway
cities (13) than any other airline, along with service connecting
the islands with Japan,
South Korea, Australia, New
Zealand, American Samoa and
Tahiti. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hawaiian is operating
an adjusted schedule of daily flights within the Hawaiian Islands
and between Hawai'i and the U.S. west coast to support essential
travel and critical cargo services.
The airline is committed to the health and safety of its guests
and employees and has reinforced enhanced cleaning procedures
across its business. While the experience may be a little
different, the authentic Hawaiian hospitality remains unchanged.
Additional details on how Hawaiian is keeping guests and employees
safe can be found at HawaiianAirlines.com/KeepingYouSafe.
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings,
Inc. (NASDAQ: HA). Additional information is available at
HawaiianAirlines.com. Follow Hawaiian's Twitter updates
(@HawaiianAir), become a fan on Facebook (Hawaiian Airlines),
and follow us on Instagram (hawaiianairlines). For career postings
and updates, follow Hawaiian's LinkedIn page.
For media inquiries, please visit Hawaiian Airlines' online
newsroom.
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SOURCE Hawaiian Airlines