Philippines Airlines (PAL) yesterday said Hawaii-bound travelers will be exempted from arrival quarantine requirements if they receive negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results from PAL’s test centers starting on July 30.
PAL is the first Asian airline accredited by the State of Hawaii to be a trusted testing and travel partner under the state’s Safe Travel quarantine reduction program.
With this, PAL passengers who secure, prior to departure, negative RT-PCR test results from a PAL testing partner accredited as a Safe Travel laboratory shall no longer be required to undergo the mandatory 10-day quarantine upon arrival in Hawaii.
The first eligible flight for quarantine-free travel is on July 30.
PAL flies once weekly nonstop from Manila to Honolulu every Friday, with code share service beyond Honolulu to Maui, Hilo, Kona and Lihue in partnership with Hawaiian Airlines.
‘We are delighted to announce that we are expanding our Safe Travels pre-travel testing program to include travelers from the Philippines… and we appreciate our partners who are helping families reconnect,” said Hawaii Governor David Ige in a July 9 public announcement.
As a trusted partner, PAL is required to report to Hawaiian authorities the status of each arriving traveler, to ensure that requirements are complete and that all passengers are assisted when they arrive in Hawaii.
However, if a passenger presents test results from a medical provider that is not a Safe Travel accredited lab, the mandatory 10-day quarantine shall be imposed upon arrival in Hawaii. – Myla Iglesias
