Wild scenes at Sydney airport as Hawaii welcomes Aussies back

Dust off your passports and pack your bags, because one of Australia’s favourite destinations has finally reopened.

As an avid traveller, boarding my first international flight since Covid made me giddy.

Simply arriving at the international terminal in Sydney to board the first Hawaiian Airlines flight to Honolulu after a shut down of almost two years had me grinning broadly under that compulsory face mask.

But I’m not going to lie, that grin slipped slightly when I saw the epic queue that had formed at check-in. It was like a painfully long conga line that nobody wanted to be part of.

The US has always been known as a strict country when it comes to international arrivals, and they are a stickler for paperwork. I’m here to report that, predictably, that has ramped up even more since the pandemic landed. According to the cabin crew, that paperwork congestion at check-in was part of the reason our flight was delayed for nearly two hours.

Honolulu, here we come. Picture: Simone Mitchell

But that is probably to be expected. Both passengers and crew are completely new to all the hoops we have to jump through for safe overseas travel. We are all learning, together. It will no doubt get quicker and easier over time, as both staff and punters get used to all the rules and regulations.

Despite this delay (and the Covid tests, and the printing of forms and renewing of visas, and my mother threatening to disown me if I got stuck in the USA and couldn’t make Christmas Day), getting on a plane to another country was utterly thrilling. Even more so now, since we no longer take it for granted. The delay didn’t seem to do much to dampen the spirits of the excited Aussies – it felt like everyone had just finished a gruelling bout of Year 12 exams and were ready to bust out into the big wide world.

A welcome drink and an in-flight menu. Gosh we've missed this. Picture: Simone Mitchell

There are so many glorious elements to embrace again. There’s nothing like settling in for a long flight, picking which films you’re going to watch (and surprising yourself when you weep openly at them), and smelling that intoxicating scent of an in-flight meal headed your way. The Hawaiian Airlines crew had hairdos filled with beautiful orchids, and handed me an ice-cold Mai Tai as soon as I sat down.

I nearly kissed them. Side note: it was pleasing to note that sustainability is a core part of their service now, and this is demonstrated in a number of different ways. For example, passengers are encouraged to refill their water bottle – disembarking at the end of the flight and not wading through a sea of plastic bottles in the cabin was a reassuring moment.

When we arrived at Honolulu airport and each passenger was greeted with a cheer and a lei was placed around their neck, I got all emotional. The sound of the ukulele and the beaming smiles of the hula dancers was the perfect welcome after such a long time apart.

The new Hawaiian Airlines initiative is "Travel Pono", which means to explore with care and "offer your help to preserve Hawaii's natural resources, cultures and communities".

I have been here three hours now, and can confirm Hawaiians are thrilled to see their Aussie mates again. My Uber driver whooped “g’day mate” when he heard my accent. The hotel porter put (another) lei around my neck and clapped me on the back. Aussies have loved Hawaii as a holiday destination for a long time and I think it’s largely because our two islands share a love of the beach lifestyle, a relaxed attitude and a deep appreciation of a good Happy Hour. As one of the hula dancers threw a shaka at an arriving Aussie, and he was greeted with a fist-pump in return, my little travel-loving heart nearly exploded.

I know flying overseas seems a bit daunting at the moment. But the travel industry has been so brutalised by Covid, and if we want to keep enjoying all the delights it brings, we have to take the leap and support it.

Glad I caught that chap's triumphant fist-pump on film. Picture: Simone Mitchell

And the beautiful, chilled, island paradise that is Hawaii is a damn fine place to dip your toe back into overseas holidays.

Those Mai Tais and this view are waiting.

Helpful things I learned along the way

1. The US is currently requiring a negative Covid test within 1 day of departure from Australia. The best way to do this is to go to the Histopath Clinic at the airport and they will print out your certificate within 90 minutes. In my case I was able to be tested in Melbourne (my home town) and have my results printed at their Sydney Airport clinic when I disembarked my domestic flight. This saved a huge amount of time. But be warned, the testing queue can also get a bit hectic, so give yourself plenty of time for this process too.

2. Have a face mask that is comfortable. You will be wearing it a long, long time. The crew were sticklers for everyone wearing their masks properly and said “we will have no problem waking you up if your mask has slipped below your nose while you’re sleeping”. So get one that doesn’t completely suffocate you, or threaten to pull your ears off.

The queue for quick turnaround Covid tests at Histopath in Melbourne Airport. Picture: Simone Mitchell

3. You don’t have to wear a face mask in business class lounges because they are considered hospitality venues. But for the rest of the airport, it’s mask time. If you have lounge access it’s a lovely little reprieve from mask time.

4. You have to complete an Australia Travel Declaration before you head back down under. Download the ATD app – it’s a much easier way of doing it.

5. One thing it seemed a lot of people were getting wrong is you have to have a printed version of your international vaccine certificate (that link has an explainer on how to get yours in about five minutes). Flashing that vaccine certificate that we have all be using in Australia on our phones won’t cut it.

6. Don’t forget your ESTA visa to holiday in the US. It’s meant to be approved 72 hours before you leave Australia.

This writer was a guest of Hawaiian Airlines