[ad_1]
- A couple from Hawaii are facing charges of reckless endangerment after flying while they had COVID-19, the Washington Post reported.
- After testing positive for coronavirus, the couple boarded a flight from San Francisco to Lihue, Hawaii, where they were arrested, police said.
- United Airlines has banned the couple, who face up to a year in prison and a $ 2,000 fine if convicted.
- Visit the Business Insider homepage for more stories.
A Hawaiian couple were greeted by police after landing in their home state and arrested for reckless second degree endangerment. They were flying while they tested positive for COVID-19, police said.
The Washington Post reported Thursday that Wesley Moribe and Courtney Peterson tested positive for COVID-19 before flying six hours from San Francisco to Lihue, Hawaii on Sunday. After being advised not to travel, they boarded the United Airlines flight with their 4-year-old anyway, police said, according to The Post.
“They knowingly boarded a flight with knowledge of their positive COVID-19 test results, putting the passengers on the flight at risk of death,” Kauai Police Department representative Coco Zickos told the Post.
The route is popular for the airline, with pre-testing to allow travelers to enter the state. In response to growing travel demand, Hawaii has allowed visitors to avoid quarantine if they receive a negative test result within 72 hours of travel.
The island of Kauai, where Lihue is located, has chosen not to participate in the Hawaii program and is now requiring all arrivals to be quarantined for 14 days.
All United passengers are also required to complete a health declaration which includes acknowledgment that they have not tested positive for the virus in the previous 21 days. It is one of the security measures adopted by airlines to help increase confidence in an industry decimated by the pandemic.
Read more: Airline workers have lower COVID-19 rates than the general population – and airline CEOs say it’s proof flying is safe
“The health and safety of our employees and customers is our top priority, which is why we have implemented various policies and procedures as part of a layered approach to create a safer travel environment, including requiring everyone on board to wear a mask, ”United Airlines told Business Insider in a statement.
United did not explain why passengers were allowed to board the plane after airport officials were told of their positive tests.
“We have banned these customers while we investigate this matter,” the airline said.
In March, JetBlue Airways banned a passenger who was flying with COVID-19, although he may not have known it when he got on the plane. The man said he was awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test and received the results while on the plane.
This passenger was not arrested after getting off the jet. Local authorities, however, sought to see if they could file a complaint, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.
The Hawaiian couple could face up to a year in prison and a fine of $ 2,000 if convicted.
[ad_2]
Source link