American Airways to present pre-flight COVID screening for domestic journey

As the busiest journey year approaches, American Airways will start off giving pre-flight COVID-19 exams for individuals traveling to states with travel limitations on Dec. 12 — for a cost.

© John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune/John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune
An American Airlines ticket agent standing driving a splatter guard checks in travelers in Terminal 3 at O’Hare Worldwide Airport, Nov. 12, 2020.

Starting up at $129, the PCR tests are available by way of at-dwelling tests company LetsGetChecked. Travellers purchase the testing kits online five times before their departures, and return the nasal swab specimens to the organization 72 hrs just before their flights. Final results are typically accessible within just 48 hrs, American Airlines explained in a statement.

Now 14 states, metropolitan areas and territories have COVID-related vacation limits together with New York and Puerto Rico. American Airlines is Miami International Airport’s largest carrier.

“We’ve designed fantastic strides to aid open up international vacation with our tests associates, and we understand the need to have for equivalent domestic travel methods,” reported Alison Taylor, Chief Buyer Officer for American Airways, in a assertion. “As vacation necessities keep on to quickly evolve, we are simplifying the study and COVID-19 testing achievement method for an in general additional seamless travel knowledge.”

Before this calendar year, American Airlines declared it would supply a pre-flight, fast testing web site at Miami International Airport for travelers to Jamaica, the Bahamas and Costa Rica. The corporation has set that prepare on pause as Jamaica and the Bahamas are necessitating PCR exams, the additional reputable check that superior detects asymptomatic infections. American Airways is nevertheless presenting rapid screening at Dallas-Fort Truly worth Intercontinental Airport.

“These conversations are nonetheless continuing.” said spokesperson Rachel Warner. “As tests prerequisites have developed we’re obtaining to pivot our technique.”

For international vacation, only a handful of governments have accredited the LetsGetChecked exams. In accordance to American Airways, Grenada, St. Lucia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Belize, Chile and the United Kingdom are accepting the exam.

Even with a negative PCR exam, the U.S. Centers for Illness Command and Prevention is warning People towards holiday travel. The variety of folks hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S. is at an all-time significant.

“The finest matter for Us residents to do in the future vacation time is to stay at home and not vacation,” explained Dr. Henry Walke, the CDC’s COVID-19 incident manager at a press briefing very last week.

If traveling, the CDC recommends finding tested a person to 3 days just before travel and once more a few to five times right after travel. The company suggests that tourists continue to be residence for at minimum seven times article-vacation.