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Valued Contributor
Posts: 794
Registered: ‎04-20-2020

Hawaiian Airlines and Covid....not a good story

Hawaiian Airlines flight attendant dies of COVID-19 after attending training course

A Hawaiian Airlines flight attendant who was one of 17 people to test positive for coronavirus after attending in-person training event, died Tuesday, the company confirmed.

© Provided by NBC News Jeff Kurtzman (Courtesy Connie Florez)

 

Jeff Kurtzman and 16 others contracted the respiratory illness after attending the course in Honolulu in late June, the company confirmed to NBC Los Angeles adding that it is now investigating if the cluster of cases stemmed from the training.

Kurtzman, 60, was admitted to hospital after returning home to Los Angeles and tested positive for COVID-19, Hawaiian Airlines CEO Peter Ingram confirmed in an email to staff, that was forwarded by the airline to NBC News after repeated requests for a statement.

 

He died on July 21.

Kurtzman had worked for the airline since 1986, Ingram's email said.

"Over the past three decades had become well known to his in-Flight colleagues for his passion for discovering new places, people and cultures; his terrific sense of humor and knack for easy conversation; and his caring heart. He embodied the values of aloha and malama that we hold dear," he wrote.

 

 

The airline was offering support to Kurtzman's husband and family, Ingram said, adding that the company was also monitoring employees who are recovering from coronavirus.

 

"We are reminded every day that this virus is serious and highly transmissible," Ingram wrote. "We have strengthened the mandates and protocols governing how we interact with each other at our facilities, and I urge us all to practice the utmost vigilance."

Kurtzman's friend Connie Florez told NBC Los Angeles that she had been thrilled that he would be in Honolulu for the training as it coincided with her 60th birthday. The two got together for dinner.

 

Kurtzman told her that some people on the training course "got a little lax on the second day, 'but I kept my mask on. I don’t want to get sick.'"

But he was unable to avoid the respiratory illness and got sick when he returned home.

 

"He’s such a beautiful man. He just kept apologizing. 'I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry. I know you must be scared,'" Florez said. "Really, we’ve lost an angel."

Those at the training session were exposed to the virus in part because social distancing was nonexistent and masks were optional, according to the Hawaii Department of Health. Some of the at least 16 employees that were infected went on to expose eight household members.

 

 

The health department said an infected person from the training program is also responsible for 20 additional cases at two Hawaii recreational gyms.

The company said it resumed training last week with stricter rules mandating the use of face masks and constant social distancing.

“All of our instructors have been tested, and the approximately 60 employees who have been through recent training were asked to self-quarantine and monitor their health,” the company said.

Other friends also shared of Kurtzman's caring nature.

"Jeff was a loving, generous, and kind man, and a rock in my life. He called me ‘Vickerson’ and I called him ‘Jefferson.’ I cannot even begin to comprehend this loss, but I want to share about his passing with the countless people who love and respect him," Vic Gerami wrote on Facebook.

"You were one-of-a-kind, a gentle soul that touched so many people. Your generosity and love had no bounds."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 
Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,739
Registered: ‎05-19-2012

Re: Hawaiian Airlines and Covid....not a good story

How tragic.  Sympathies to his spouse, family and friends.

 

What deeply troubles me about this sad tale is that what occurred at this training event is something that can transpire anywhere.  Indirectly, people are intimidated to behave in a manner that is contrary to best practices that have been made LOUD and CLEAR for us to follow.

 

Who wants to be seen as the "weak" one or the Nervous Nellie?  No one.  So we do not practice social distancing or wear a mask when it is optional.  This poor soul continued wearing a mask when others did not; he was a brave and a strong person.

 

However, someone in that training group was a spreader, and that someone got to the woeful Jeff Kurtzman.

 

A pity.  A true pity and tragedy.  We must do better than this for our life to go forward and without needless deaths and the concomitant tragedy.

 

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,245
Registered: ‎04-16-2010

Re: Hawaiian Airlines and Covid....not a good story

That's terrible. Most if not all of it could have been avoided. Such tragic results caused by people who won't cooperate and do the basic things needed to prevent spreading CoVid-19 and other infections.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,475
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Hawaiian Airlines and Covid....not a good story

@germanshepherdlove It certainly isn't a pretty story.

 

What has made me devlop a new normal for myself is that I think we could replace Hawaiian Airlines with the name of any company, any organization, any group that gathers indoors and stays together for some time and we might well get the same result.

 

It's the not knowing, not being able to see where the danger is, not knowing for how long or in what form the virus will be lurking amongst us that limits what I choose to do.  Definitely will not be flying on any airline any time soon.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 30,249
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Hawaiian Airlines and Covid....not a good story

The way I see it is it's like roulette.  A lot of things are like that these days.

 

I watch a show that tells about someone being killed and eventually find out the person just happened to catch the eye of a killer in passing.

 

I just try to do the best I can to stay safe but I don't worry about it.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 794
Registered: ‎04-20-2020

Re: Hawaiian Airlines and Covid....not a good story

This is a terrible setback for Hawaii that is suffering economically from closing off access from the mainland as well as international flights.  I'm sure the mayor and governor are very angry with Hawaiian Airlines for their stupid "masks optional," rule during their meeting.  Now, who knows how many more people will become infected.  

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,458
Registered: ‎06-10-2015

Re: Hawaiian Airlines and Covid....not a good story

"Those at the training session were exposed to the virus in part because social distancing was nonexistent and masks were optional, according to the Hawaii Department of Health."

 

The employee who died said he wore a mask.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 794
Registered: ‎04-20-2020

Re: Hawaiian Airlines and Covid....not a good story


@noodleann wrote:

"Those at the training session were exposed to the virus in part because social distancing was nonexistent and masks were optional, according to the Hawaii Department of Health."

 

The employee who died said he wore a mask.


@noodleann at some point they had to eat.  Wonder what the arrangements were....if they served food or snacks, water, coffee or soft drinks at the meeting.  Down come the masks for that.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,605
Registered: ‎03-30-2014

Re: Hawaiian Airlines and Covid....not a good story

By June I would have thought they would have a clue.  

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,458
Registered: ‎06-10-2015

Re: Hawaiian Airlines and Covid....not a good story


@germanshepherdlove wrote:

@noodleann wrote:

"Those at the training session were exposed to the virus in part because social distancing was nonexistent and masks were optional, according to the Hawaii Department of Health."

 

The employee who died said he wore a mask.


@noodleann at some point they had to eat.  Wonder what the arrangements were....if they served food or snacks, water, coffee or soft drinks at the meeting.  Down come the masks for that.


Yes, but I'd bet the truly lethal factor was the lack of distancing. People are eating in restaurants without their masks but with distancing, and I haven't heard of cases arising from those experiences.

 

We wouldn't need masks if we could stay 12' away from each other all the time.

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