United Airlines opens door to London-New York travel with free Covid testing
US carrier United Airlines has today announced the world’s first free transatlantic coronavirus testing trial in a glimmer of hope for the travel industry.
Under the scheme, the airline will offer every passenger over the age of two on flights between Newark and London Heathrow a test for the disease.
The trial will run between 16 November and 11 December.
Any passengers who do not wish to take part will be put on another flight, meaning that all travellers are guaranteed to have tested negative.
If successful the trial could open the door on the lucrative transatlantic travel market, which is crucial to global business.
United’s chief customer officer Toby Enqvist said: “We believe the ability to provide fast, same-day Covid-19 testing will play a vital role in safely reopening travel around the world and navigating quarantines and travel restrictions, particularly to key international destinations like London.
“Through this pilot program, we’ll guarantee that everyone* on board has tested negative for COVID-19, adding another element to our layered approach to safety.
“United will continue to lead on testing, while at the same time exploring new solutions that contribute to the safest travel experience possible.”
The airline is leading the way in finding a way around the current coronavirus travel restrictions, which have kept passenger numbers at record lows since March.
Last week, United participated in a successful test program between New York, Newark and London of CommonPass, a digital health pass, aimed at enabling safer travel and the reopening of international borders.
Airlines in the UK have been crying out for a airport testing system to be put in place for several months.
However the government has called into question the efficacy of such a programme, saying it would only catch a minimal share of cases.
Last week the first pre-departure testing facility opened at Heathrow Airport, open to use for passengers flying to Hong Kong.