Hawaiian cuts service as Kauai opts out of pre-travel testing

The popular Hawaiian tourist destination Kauai has opted out of the state’s pre-travel coronavirus testing programme and re-imposed a mandatory quarantine for all inbound passengers, once again disrupting Hawaiian Airlines’ return to normal service. Beginning on 2 December, travellers to the island will again be required to enter a 14-day quarantine, with no option to bypass it by bringing evidence of a pre-departure negative test. The mayor of the island, which is located 193km northwest of the capital Honolulu, says on 30 November that the government is imposing the measure to stop community spread of the highly-contagious disease and ease pressure on the island’s limited local hospital system. The state’s governor approved an emergency rule which allows for a “a temporary moratorium of the Safe Travels programme and return to a mandatory 14-day quarantine”, the county of Kauai writes on its website. The rule takes effect at 00:01 local time on 2 December and applies ”to all incoming travellers, including mainland, inter-island residents and visitors”. Honolulu-based Hawaiian Airlines, which operates an average of 12 daily round-trip flights to Kauai’s main metropolitan centre Lihue, says it will once again cut service to the island.<br/>