Attorneys representing Hawaii in the state’s challenge to President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban are asking that the full panel of a federal appeals court hear the case.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear the case May 15.

Hawaii’s request filed Tuesday notes that the full 15-judge panel of another federal appeals court will hear a similar case challenging the travel ban.

Appeals are typically heard first by a three-judge panel before they are possibly examined by the full panel. Hawaii argues the case involves a “question of exceptional importance.”

The Trump administration is appealing a Hawaii federal judge’s ruling blocking the government from suspending new visas for people from six Muslim-majority countries and halting the U.S. refugee program.

Hawaiian Air waives Auckland change fees

Hawaiian Airlines said Wednesday it will waive reservation change fees for customers traveling on its Auckland flights between today and Saturday due to Tropical Cyclone Cook. Changes must be made prior to the departure of the originally scheduled flight for new travel on or before April 21.

All change fees will be waived provided that original flights were ticketed on or before today, based on seat availability and there is no change to origin or destination. Changes must be made by Hawaiian Airlines personnel through the reservations department or at the airport. Normal refund rules will apply.

Customers needing assistance should call Hawaiian’s reservations desk at the toll-free number 1-800-367-5320.

HAWAII ISLAND

UH-Hilo students, staff might have had TB exposure

About 120 students and staff at the University of Hawaii at Hilo might have been exposed to someone on campus who had active tuberculosis.

The state Department of Health and the university said Wednesday in a news release that an investigation has begun and about 120 people have been contacted. Those who have been notified can get tested at a clinic set up for them on campus.

“The University of Hawaii Hilo campus activities and all classes can be held as scheduled with no safety concerns related to the past possible exposure,” said state Health Director Virginia Pressler. “We don’t expect to find more individuals with infectious TB disease, but we hope to identify individuals who may have had recent exposure, are not contagious, and could benefit from preventative medication.”

“Tuberculosis usually requires many hours of close indoor person-to-person contact to spread it to others,” said Elizabeth MacNeill, chief of the TB Control Branch. “Most of the students and staff are not at risk, and our investigation to date has found no related active TB cases and no spread of the disease at the university or in the community.”

The person who had active TB has been treated and is no longer infectious, the state said.

More information on tuberculosis can be found by contacting the state’s Tuberculosis Control Program at 832-5731 or visiting the Department of Health website at health.hawaii.gov/tb.