Three Trans-Pacific Flights Arrive at Kahului on Thursday, Bringing 129 Passengers to Maui

Yesterday marked ten weeks since the state’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine started for all passengers arriving in Hawai‘i from out-of-state. On Thursday, June 4, a total of 1,621 people arrived in Hawai‘i on 19 trans-Pacific flights–including 546 visitors and 433 returning residents.

Here on Maui, 129 people arrived on three trans-Pacific flights on Thursday.  This included 50 visitors, 61 returning residents, six individuals planning to relocate to Maui and 12 crew members.

Hawaiʻi Governor David Ige on May 28 said that the 14-day travel quarantine will be extended for domestic and international travelers past June 30, but an official announcement will be made at a later date. He has since said that an announcement regarding the quarantine for out-of-state arrivals will be made next week.

The data was compiled by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and does not include interisland flights.

Governor David Ige announced he will lift the interisland quarantine on travel between the Hawaiian Islands, effective on June 16, 2020. As the state lifts the interisland quarantine, they will be implementing thermal screening, a new interisland travel form and a more robust contact tracing program.

Maui Now asked Mayor Michael Victorino if he supports the increase in domestic flights while the out-of-state quarantine remains in effect. He responded saying, “Really, I don’t have a lot of say.  I believe we are still not ready for visitors from the outside,” but he said 50 visitors yesterday compared to the thousands of visitors that were arriving per day at the same time last year, “we are tremendously down.”

He said the added flights bring “valuable cargo–air freight that is being brought in” for various businesses as well as medical supplies and testing equipment.  “It is valuable cargo that is being brought in that I really support.  As far as 50 visitors, I’d like to have less.  In fact, I would like to have zero; however, they’re coming in, returning residents are coming back, intended residents and essential workers are coming in–so at this point, I will say I support what it brings in versus the perception of what is being brought in,” said Mayor Victorino.