In hopes of boosting international travel, American Airlines said it will begin offering coronavirus testing on some international flights leaving Miami, as well as flights to Hawaii out of Dallas.
In cooperation with the governments of Jamaica and the Bahamas, American Airlines will be testing passengers for the coronavirus before flights out of Miami starting next month.
The airline said that flights from Miami to Jamaica will allow for Jamaica residents to take a test, which will allow for a 14-day mandatory quarantine to be waved if the test comes back negative. The goal of the program is to eventually open the country to US citizens looking for a getaway.
American Airlines said coronavirus testing will also be available for those flying from Miami to the Bahamas. Details of that program are still being worked out.
Preflight testing will also be available for those flying from Dallas to Hawaii. The program will begin Oct. 15, and allow travelers three options: In at-home test, an in-person test at an urgent care, an or on-site rapid test available at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. The tests must be completed within 72 hours of a flight.
“The pandemic has changed our business in ways we never could have expected, but all the while, the entire American Airlines team has eagerly tackled the challenge of reimagining the way we deliver a safe, healthy and enjoyable travel experience for our customers,” said Robert Isom, President of American Airlines. “Our plan for this initial phase of preflight testing reflects the ingenuity and care our team is putting into rebuilding confidence in air travel, and we view this as an important step in our work to accelerate an eventual recovery of demand.”
