Transmitted via website email portal
The Honorable Josh Green, M.D.
Ke Kiaʻaina o Hawaiʻi
Executive Chambers
State Capitol
Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813
RE: Airport Policy and Procedures Affecting Guam Travelers
Håfa adai Ke Kiaʻaina Green,
I am writing to respectfully ask you to review the travel policies that have been implemented at
the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Over the past several months, I have received many
complaints from Guam residents and others concerning certain arduous travel procedures which
have been applied to passengers traveling from Guam and transiting through Hawaii to the U.S.
Mainland. Such procedures as described to me seem unreasonable and unnecessary.
As I understand it, Guam passengers who are flying to the U.S. Mainland via Hawaii must claim
their bags in Hawaii after a seven (7) plus hour flight; then clear their bags through U.S. Customs;
then leave the arrival area on the ground floor with their bags; then haul their bags upstairs even
though the bags have been tagged in Guam to their final destination; then process their bags
through agricultural screening in the upstairs terminal departure area; and then recheck their bags
at the appropriate departure counter. It is worth noting that the baggage claim arrival area is at the
opposite end of the Honolulu International Terminal Building from the United Airlines Departure
check-in counter, and there is limited elevator availability and capacity on the ground floor. So, as
I’m sure you can appreciate, the trek under this new procedure can be quite difficult, especially for
elderly and handicapped passengers from Guam to the U.S. Mainland.
To summarize, upon arrival in Honolulu, transiting Guam passengers must now:
- First claim their bags in the baggage claim area even if ticketed to their final destination;
- Clear the bags with Customs and Border Patrol;
- Haul their bags upstairs across the terminal to the departure area;
- Have them inspected and processed by an Agricultural Agent even though they have never left the Terminal,
- Carry the bags to a United Airlines ticket counter to recheck them to their final destination in the U.S. Mainland;
- Go through TSA screening; and
- Then try to catch their connecting flight.
Although this may seem sensible for passengers arriving and staying in Hawaii, it is not reasonable
to impose these procedures on passengers who are merely transiting through Hawaii and will not
have their baggage leave the airport facility.
These new steps continue to add to the inconsistency of airline and related policies when it comes
to travel to and from Guam via Hawaii. Due to the tremendous amount of inconvenience and
distress our island travelers experience, these protocols warrant a direct course of action. This is
especially challenging for the elderly and handicapped, not to mention families traveling with
young children. Passenger transits should be streamlined, fluid, and efficient. But with the current
procedures in place, many of our people find themselves in stressful situations, both physically
and mentally. As many constituents have mentioned to me, these new additional steps to passenger
travels seem not only cumbersome but discriminatory as well.
I initially wrote to Director Samuel Shinohara of Airport Operations, Guam, as well as responded
to Managing Director Dan Weiss of Global Government and Regulatory Affairs. However, United
Airline replied and directed me to write to your office for a more favorable and effective response.
I understand that United Airlines does its best to comply with the rules and regulations set by the
United States Customs and Border Protection. However, I wrote to the senior management with
the hope that United Airlines can re-evaluate these policies and look into possible solutions to ease
the strain felt by our people. Unfortunately, the response from United Airlines was not cooperative
and claimed limited authority to be able to produce the desired outcome.
Guam is a geostrategic vantage point for the United States military. But even with our significant
role as the first line of defense in the Indo-Pacific, and as U.S. citizens, people in Guam have less
rights than mainland citizens do. This new procedure adds to a list of discriminatory actions
towards Guamanians that make us feel like second-class citizens, when we know we are not.
Therefore, I am looking to you, Governor Green, and any other related agency, department, or
party who may be able to assist our people in eliminating or mitigating the discriminatory and
troublesome effects on Guam travelers.
With the military buildup taking off and more military activity occurring on the island with the
patriotic support of the Government of Guam and our community, it just doesn’t make sense for
our people to be treated this way. Especially since Guam and Guamanians are clearly the first line
of defense for all of the United States.
With so many constituents raising questions, complaints, and inquiring about the new procedures,
I do hope you can provide insight or aid on how Guam passengers can be relieved of this current
burden. I believe your executive leadership can greatly help me in my pursuit to resolve these
issues.
I hope you will act on my request and I look forward to your reply.
Si Yu’os ma’åse,
Jesse A. Lujan
Senator, 37th Guam Legislature