SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Are you looking to get away to an island paradise? Unfortunately, you might want to think twice before you book that flight.
Sacramento Airport officials have some good and bad news for locals trying to fly to Honolulu. The good news is Hawaiian Airlines resumed its nonstop flights from Sacramento International to Honolulu starting Thursday morning. The bad news is travelers must remember that a mandatory 14-day self- quarantine is still required once they arrive in Hawaii.
A few dozen passengers are set to board Thursday’s flight. According to officials, it’s the first out of Sacramento since non-stop service to the vacation destination stopped more than three months ago because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The flights are resuming just days after Hawaii Gov. David Ige announced the state had extended the 14-day quarantine requirement for all travelers through the end of August.
Sacramento airport officials are expecting most travelers from SMF to be Hawaiian residents going back home and some local residents with second homes or vacation rentals in Hawaii, where they can serve the initial 14-day quarantine.
ABC10 spoke with one of them who's staying a few weeks.
“Even if we have to quarantine this way, we’ll actually be with someone we know,” said Chris Karanopoulos, who’s traveling with his partner and planning on spending time with his partner’s mother. He’s hoping things in Honolulu will get better soon.
“Even if that doesn’t happen, instead of counting on restaurant food, we’ll just cook in the kitchen,” he said.
Karanopoulos says he’s looking forward to spending some time off after the mandated quarantine.
“It’ll be nice to spend time with family and just to get away for a bit. Who doesn’t like a little tropical sun, and the beach, some hiking, waterfalls, and all the fun things?” he said.
Ige delayed a planned August 1 reopening of the state’s tourism industry to travelers who test negative to COVID-19 before arriving in the state. Due to a recent spike in cases in Hawaii, the governor extended the 14-day quarantine requirement for all travelers arriving from the United States and abroad through the end of August.
Sacramento Airport officials say the flight to Honolulu makes passengers aware of the non-stop service to the island, in preparation for when the 14-day quarantine is lifted, which they hope is by the end of August.
However, they want to remind you that they are not responsible for the self-quarantine mandate in Hawaii.
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