AA to offer pre-flight COVID tests for travelers to Jamaica

American Airlines has introduced pre-flight coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for flights to Jamaica and The Bahamas in a bid to boost regional travel.

The airline said it will start with the two Caribbean destinations with a plan to expand the programme to additional markets in the weeks and months ahead.

The company says it is part of an ongoing effort to help “protect customer health and safety, inspire confidence in air travel and advance the industry’s recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.”

“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.”

The initial testing programme for travelers to Jamaica will begin at Miami International Airport next month, and will be for Jamaican residents travelling to their home country. If a passenger tests negative for COVID-19 ahead of flying with American, the 14-day quarantine currently in place for returning Jamaican residents would be waived.

American Airlines outlined that, following a successful pilot programme, the objective is to open this testing protocol for all passengers traveling to Jamaica, including US citizens. The timing of such a potential announcement is to be determined.

Audrey Marks, Ambassador of Jamaica to the United States, was quoted in the company announcement stating, “I thank American Airlines for initiating these efforts to ensure safety and confidence for travelers from the United States, and for leading with Jamaica as a pilot for its COVID-19 testing program.

“This is timely, given the government’s ongoing review in cooperation with the Global Initiative for Health and Safety group of the current protocols governing travel to the island, and it could be a game-changer, not just for tourism, but also for other key sectors of the economy that have been negatively impacted by the ongoing pandemic,” Marks said.

American’s programme with the Bahamas is expected to launch next month.

The airline said it is also actively engaged with CARICOM, an integrated grouping of 20 Caribbean countries, about expanding the programme to additional Caribbean markets.

Preflight testing will also soon be available for travel from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Hawaii.