United Airlines has started giving free Covid-19 tests for passengers of select routes in a move to boost traffic and initiate international cooperation.
According to United Airlines, it has began giving passengers free Covid-19 tests on select routes not only to increase traffic on transatlantic flights but also to spark global unity to break down travel restrictions.
Pioneering free Covid-19 tests
Aaron McMillan, managing director of operations policy and support at United, said: "We firmly believe that testing is a key component of a multi-layered approach to safely opening travel across the globe."
"The pilot program will guarantee that essentially everyone on board just tested negative for Covid-19," McMillan added.
According to the airline, it will run the program for four weeks beginning November 16 on United Flight 14, which takes off from Newark Liberty International Airport to London Heathrow three times weekly.
United mentioned that passengers would have to arrive at least three hours before the 7:15 pm flight in order to take advantage of the free rapid molecular Abbott ID Now test, which can get results within 20 minutes.
Those test negative for coronavirus will be able to board the flight while those who tested positive will be isolated by clinicians and either refunded or rebooked at a later time.
McMillan explained: "It would be a requirement for everyone on board to have that negative test result prior to flight."
The program will not enable passengers to bypass the UK's mandatory 14-day quarantine but the airline hopes it will serve as a proof of concept.
In a news release, United stated: "United will share customer feedback of this pilot with governments on both sides of the Atlantic to further demonstrate the effectiveness of these programs as an alternative to mandatory quarantines or duplicative travel restrictions."
Other United Airlines updates
Two weeks ago, United posted its third large quarterly loss of the year, as the coronavirus pandemic took a toll on air travel demand.
The US carrier reported a loss of $2.4 billion, excluding special items, which was slightly lower than the $2.6 billion loss it posted in the second quarter as the coronavirus pandemic continued to impact the aviation industry.
Additionally, its net loss of $1.8 billion was higher than the previous quarter’s loss.
The losses were primarily attributed to the dramatic decline in air travel due to measures implemented to address the coronavirus pandemic. The decline in demand for air travel has affected the aviation industry as a whole.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), airlines globally are expected to report a fall in revenues this year amounting to $418 billion.
Also earlier this month, American Airlines and United Airlines announced that they will be cutting 32,000 jobs combined after the US airlines failed to secure additional federal aid.
American Airlines will cut 19,000 jobs while United Airlines will reduce its work force by 13,000 employees.
United Airlines chief executive officer (CEO) Scott Kirby said that the decision on the layoffs represented "a very sad day for all of us here at United."
American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said he was still hoping for the job cuts to be averted if the firm saw signs that Congress and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin would be able to reach an agreement.
In a memo to employees, Parker wrote: "Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that any of these efforts will come to fruition."
