Kokua Line: Why can’t Safe Travels be more strict on flights?

Question: Why can the state of Hawaii require trans-­Pacific cruise ship passengers to be vaccinated or test negative for COVID-19 to disembark in Hawaii, but can’t apply the same requirement to trans-^­Pacific domestic air passengers? Domestic air passengers have the option to quarantine for five days upon arrival (arriving unvaccinated and untested). Cruise passengers don’t have that option (they must be vaccinated or test negative). Why are the rules different?

Answer: Because the port agreements Hawaii has reached with Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line fulfill the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Conditional Sail Order. There is no comparable CDC order for domestic air travel.

Along with meeting CDC standards and describing the cruise lines’ own protocols, Hawaii’s port agreements require cruise ship passengers and crew arriving from out of state to supply proof of COVID- 19 vaccination or a negative test before disembarking at their first Hawaii port of call.

“The port agreements fulfill the CDC Conditional Sail Order and we appreciate the cruise lines voluntarily going above the requirements for vaccination in the interest of the safety of their guests, crew and Hawaii residents. There is no CDC order in place for (domestic) air travel,” Shelly Kunishige, spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation, said in response to your question.

Under the CDC’s order, cruise lines able to carry more than 250 passengers and crew on overnight itineraries must have formal port agreements with local port and health authorities. The CDC order is set to expire Friday, but port agreements “will apply until superseded by a new agreement regardless of expiration of the CDC order,” the DOT said in a news release. Read details about the Hawaii port agreements at 808ne.ws/dotport.

As for air travel, the CDC issued rules requiring COVID-19 vaccination and/or testing for passengers on international flights to the United States, but not for domestic flights within the country. Hawaii’s own rules do apply, allowing arriving domestic air passengers to avoid Hawaii’s five-day quarantine if they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or test negative for the disease or have recovered from it; specific rules apply to each exception.

Q: Will the Punahou Carnival happen this year?

A: Yes, but it won’t be a community event. The plan is for a one-day carnival open only to current Punahou School students, faculty, staff and their families, with stringent COVID-19 mitigation measures in place.

“The Punahou Carnival is a time-honored tradition, led by our junior class in support of raising important financial aid funds for our families. We regret that we aren’t able to welcome the general community this year due to current pandemic conditions, but we look forward to welcoming everyone back next year. We are grateful for the community’s long-standing support of this event,” Punahou School President Mike Latham said Wednesday.

This is the second year the pandemic has disrupted the popular carnival, which is usually open to the public for two days in early February. Last year’s carnival was mainly a virtual and drive-through event.

Q: Is UI still offering walk-in service for unemployment claims, for people who are fully vaccinated or test negative? If yes, is this true on all islands?

A: Yes, on Wednesday through Friday at all Hawaii unemployment insurance offices, said Bill Kunstman, spokesman for the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Telephone appointments are another option, and can be made at labor.hawaii.gov/ui/appointments.

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.