Hawaiian Airlines to Support Medical Workers with Complimentary Neighbor Island Flights

Maui Now graphic. PC: file by Wendy Osher.

Hawaiian Airlines announced that it will provide complimentary Neighbor Island flights for medical professionals during the month of April to support travel associated with COVID-19 response efforts.

The airline is partnering with Hawai‘i’s leading healthcare providers to maintain and facilitate the delivery of critical medical services to communities statewide.

Partner organizations include the Hawai‘i Emergency Physicians Associated, The Queen’s Health Systems, Kaiser Permanente Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Permanente Medical Group, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, and Diagnostic Laboratory Services Inc.

Hawaiian today also announced a new flight schedule “designed to provide vital Neighbor Island connectivity in April,” during the state of Hawai‘i’s 14-day self-quarantine requirement for interisland passengers, except for those considered by the government to be traveling for essential work or needs.

“This virus has presented an unprecedented test for all of us who call Hawai‘i home, and we are glad to be able to support the exceptional and important work our medical providers are carrying out across our islands each day to meet our state’s healthcare needs and help us overcome this challenge,” said Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO Peter Ingram in a press release announcement.

“The doctors of Hawai‘i Emergency Physicians Associated appreciate Hawaiian Airlines facilitating us travelling to Critical Access Hospitals across the state and particularly to isolated communities on Moloka‘i and Kaua‘i,” said HEPA President Dr. Craig Thomas and Vice President of Operations Dr. Katherine Heinzen Jim, whose physician-owned group consists of 100-plus board-certified physicians. “Without your kōkua we would be unable to care for our communities. Mahalo nui loa.”

Effective April 4, Hawaiian will be providing a total of 16 daily roundtrip flights with Boeing 717 aircraft between Honolulu (HNL) on O‘ahu and Hilo (ITO) and Kona (KOA) on the Island of Hawai‘i, Kahului (OGG) on Maui, and Līhu‘e (LIH) on Kaua‘i. For travelers not originating in or bound for O‘ahu, the schedule was carefully created to offer three daily roundtrips via HNL to all Neighbor Islands.

The airline will also keep serving both Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i from Honolulu with ATR-42 aircraft operated by ‘Ohana by Hawaiian, which is also providing all-cargo service with ATR-72 aircraft carrying critical goods statewide.

Details on Hawaiian’s revised schedule are available here.

In the meantime, Hawaiian has suspended service between HNL and Pago Pago (PPG) for at least 30 days at the request of the American Samoan government which is seeking to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “The airline, which is pausing once-weekly service through at least April 23, remains in close contact with the US territory and stands ready to resume flights as soon as permitted to do so,” according to the airline.