Beginning March 1, incoming air travelers to Hawaii will be required to complete a digital form upon arrival, declaring any agricultural products they are bringing into the state.
State officials introduced the digitized form at a news conference held Monday at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu.
Travelers on 82 inbound routes from the U.S. to all airports in Hawaii must complete the Akamai Arrival form to specify whether they are bringing in potential threats to Hawaii’s agricultural system, including raw vegetables and animals. One form per family is required.
“Any person who defaces this declaration form, gives false information, or fails to declare prohibited or restricted articles in their possession, including baggage, or fails to declare these items on cargo manifests is in violation of Chapter 150A, Hawaii Revised Statutes and may be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable, in certain instances, by a maximum penalty of $25,000 and/or up to one-year imprisonment,” said the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.
“Intentionally smuggling a snake or other prohibited or restricted article into HawaiÊ»i is, in certain circumstances, a Class C felony punishable by a maximum penalty of $200,000 and/or up to five years imprisonment,” according to the department.
The policy has not been enforced for ten years; however, state legislators are considering downgrading these offenses to civil penalties as reported by Honolulu Civil Beat.
A full list of flights participating in the pilot program is available online and includes all Southwest and American Airlines flights into Hawaii. The Akamai Arrival form can be accessed online and must be completed for incoming flights starting March 1.
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