The state of Hawaii is piloting “Akamai Arrival,” a new program that will digitize the state’s Plants and Animals Declaration Form, with a goal of streamlining the process for travelers arriving in the islands.
The program also marks a significant step toward modernizing the state’s biosecurity efforts by improving form completion rates and strengthening protections against invasive species.
Starting this month, the pilot program managed by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) will roll out on select domestic flights in partnership with major airlines, including Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. The governor’s office noted that participating airlines will integrate the digital form into their arrival processes, giving passengers a more efficient way to submit required agricultural declarations before landing in Hawaii.
“Protecting Hawaiʻi’s unique environment from invasive species is critical to our way of life, our economy, and our future. The ‘Akamai Arrival’ program is a forward-thinking approach that modernizes our biosecurity efforts while making it easier for travelers to comply with our agricultural protections. This initiative is another step toward preserving our islands for generations to come,” said Gov. Josh Green, M.D.
Lieutenant Gov. Sylvia Luke – together with legislators, HDOA, airline partners, and stakeholders – developed the digital agriculture form pilot program.
“This is what government should be doing – utilizing technology to improve our state processes and better serve the public. Every one of us, whether coming home or traveling to Hawaiʻi, is very familiar with filling out the paper agriculture form. By digitizing this form, we’re making compliance easier for travelers while using technology to protect what makes Hawaiʻi so special,” said Lieutenant Gov. Luke.
The governor’s office noted that airlines participating in the pilot have discretion over flight selection and implementation methods. The Akamai Arrival website will serve as a hub for passengers, providing access to the digital form, flight information, and a FAQ page to assist travelers.
“The Department of Agriculture has been addicted to paper for nearly 60 years. Five years ago, I advocated for the digitization of the declaration form, but was met with resistance. Lawmakers had to pass a law last year to encourage the migration from paper to an app,” said State Senator Glenn Wakai, who chairs the Senate Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs.
“The ʻAkamai Arrival’ program will inform passengers about what’s not acceptable to bring to Hawaiʻi BEFORE they board the plane, rather than when they’re scrambling for a pen over the Pacific,” the senator said.
The pilot program will run from March 1 through May 31, 2025. Monthly progress updates will be shared with participating airlines and data collected will help determine potential expansions of the program in the future.
