LONDON, Nov 17 (Reuters) - American Airways AAL.O, British Airways ICAG.L, and the oneworld allianc
LONDON, Nov 17 (Reuters) – American Airways AAL.O, British Airways ICAG.L, and the oneworld alliance will launch a coronavirus testing trial this month aimed toward convincing the U.S. and UK governments to introduce testing in order that transatlantic journey can restart.
BA was working 84 flights per week between London Heathrow and New York JFK previous to the pandemic, however final week operated simply 21.
BA CEO Sean Doyle mentioned that and not using a journey testing regime, Britain was being left behind nations corresponding to Germany.
Alongside its companions, BA plans to gather knowledge from not less than 500 passengers on flights from three U.S. cities to London Heathrow by asking them to take three free COVID-19 assessments as a part of their journey: one earlier than departure, one on touchdown, and one three days after their arrival.
“What we’re attempting to proof right here is the effectiveness of testing to interchange quarantines,” BA CEO Doyle, who has been within the position for simply six weeks, instructed reporters on a name.
He mentioned that current optimistic vaccine information was encouraging nevertheless it was unclear when a vaccine would begin to have a fabric impact on journey.
The information collected from the trial, which is able to begin on Nov. 25, can be collated by unbiased scientists and introduced to UK ministers to assist persuade them to drop a 14-day quarantine rule for arrivals from most nations.
“If now we have a testing framework that’s there, you already know whatever the growth of the pandemic, it offers individuals certainty from which they will plan,” Doyle mentioned.
In one in every of his first media appearances since taking over the CEO job at BA, which is owned by IAG ICAG.L, Doyle mentioned the airline wanted to be proactive in developing with options to the disaster.
Britain’s transport minister mentioned on Friday he can be making an announcement on adjustments to the nation’s 14-day quarantine rule for arrivals “very quickly”.
(Reporting by Sarah Younger; modifying by Jason Neely)
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