Almost nobody is willing to get on an airplane these days, and the airlines hope they can lure them in with something of value: free coronavirus tests, which could help you avoid a two-week quarantine at your destination.
American Airlines and United Airlines have both announced that they will offer coronavirus testing for some flights. United Airlines was the first to announce a testing program, which is set to begin on Oct. 15. Passengers traveling from San Francisco to Hawaii can take a rapid test at the airport or mail in a self-collected test in order to avoid Hawaii’s 14-day quarantine requirement for arriving travelers.
American Airlines will employ a testing program on select international flights starting in October. The airline will begin by testing Jamaican residents traveling from Miami to Jamaica, and those with a negative test will be able to avoid the mandatory 14-day quarantine requirement. The airline eventually plans to expand the new testing program to all travelers to Jamaica. American Airlines is launching a similar pre-departure testing program for those bound for the Bahamas and for Caribbean Community countries, and it will administer a program for those departing Dallas for Hawaii similar to that of United Airlines.
Aside from the airlines, Tampa International Airport has begun its own pilot testing program, offering either a rapid antigen test or a polymerase chain reaction test to all ticketed passengers who are flying or have flown within three days.
The International Air Transport Association, the premier international trade group for commercial aviation, has consistently supported such testing programs, saying testing is the only thing short of a coronavirus cure that can encourage travel and keep the industry afloat.
“The key to restoring the freedom of mobility across borders is systematic COVID-19 testing of all travelers before departure,” Alexandre de Juniac, the IATA’s director general and CEO, said in a recent statement. “This will give governments the confidence to open their borders without complicated risk models that see constant changes in the rules imposed on travel.”
