How is Hawaiian Airlines protecting travelers against COVID-19 at the airport?

The health and safety of our guests and employees is our primary concern. We have reinforced and enhanced cleaning procedures across our business – in line with recommendations by leading public health authorities – to keep our aircraft, as well as our airport spaces, safe and clean.

Our airport agents and cabin crews are trained to identify and assist people showing symptoms of illness, such as fever, nausea and respiratory issues, while minimizing the risk of exposure to themselves and others.

We have made hand sanitizers more broadly available throughout our airport lobbies and offices. We frequently clean our counters and disinfect our self-service check-in kiosks, and have partnered with the Hawaii State Department of Transportation to ensure hand sanitizers are readily available to travelers throughout our hub at Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and at airports statewide.

When flight loads permit, our gate agents are increasing pauses throughout the boarding process to prevent congestion at the doors and in the jet bridge, and staggering seating to create and maintain distance between guests aboard our aircraft.

We also comply with government directives regarding the transportation of travelers to mitigate the spread of the virus.

How does Hawaiian Airlines keep its aircraft cabins clean and employees safe?

We have detailed protocols for cleaning aircraft between flights, overnight, and event-driven disinfection cleaning. We pay special attention to areas that our guests frequently touch, such as seats, seatbacks, headrests, IFE monitors, tray tables, overhead bins, walls, windows and shades, as well as galleys and lavatories, among other areas within the aircraft.

We also thoroughly disinfect the cabins of our aircraft after each transpacific flight. Our interisland aircraft are cleaned after every flight into Honolulu and disinfected nightly. If a passenger is identified as being seriously ill on any flight, our enhanced cleaning procedures adhere to guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO), including extra disinfection along with providing personal protective equipment for cleaning crews.

Our cabin air is cleaned through high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that create a dry and essentially sterile environment, inhospitable to the growth of viruses.

Our flight attendants are allowed to use masks and gloves as a precautionary measure, and we are making temporary changes to our in-flight service, such as suspending the refilling of beverages in cups or personal bottles, and hot towel service. We have also been distributing disposable sanitizing wipes to our guests onboard transpacific flights, and on March 28, we will expand this effort to our Neighbor Island flights as well.

We continue to encourage all our guests and employees to follow simple everyday habits to prevent viral spread: hand washing, use of at least 60 percent alcohol-based sanitizer, not touching your face with unclean hands, disinfecting common areas and staying home when sick.

How can I protect myself and my family while traveling?

The CDC continues to urge the practice of simple everyday habits to prevent viral spread. We encourage our guests to follow its advice, which includes:

• Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• If you do not have immediate access to soap and water, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. It is still recommended that you wash your hands, even with the use of hand sanitizer.
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Covering coughs and sneezes with tissues and disposing of them properly.
• Disinfecting common areas.
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
• Staying home when you are sick.

Please visit the CDC website for the latest information on COVID-19.