American Airlines to offer at-home COVID-19 test kits for passengers who opt to fly during the pandemic
American Airlines has become the first United State air carrier to offer at-home COVID-19 test kits for passengers as an option for those who opt to fly during the pandemic.
According to the airline, it is expanding its preflight testing program for domestic travel. The first airline to introduce preflight testing within the United States, American will provide access to LetsGetChecked for all domestic flights to states and territories with COVID-19 travel restrictions.
“We’ve made great strides to help open international travel with our testing partners, and we recognize the need for similar domestic travel solutions,” said Alison Taylor, Chief Customer Officer for American Airlines.
“As travel requirements continue to quickly evolve, we’re simplifying the research and COVID-19 testing fulfillment process for an overall more seamless travel experience,” he added.
Although testing via the kit is not a requirement for American Airlines travel, those who wish to participate will do the nasal swab at home, send it in for lab analysis and receive their results within two days of the sample arriving at the lab.
The at-home tests help travelers check off one of the most common travel restrictions that states have implemented, which is a negative test result either before departure or upon arrival.
It will also help customers get reliable access to testing, which is still hit-or-miss in many parts of the United States. But there are still holes in the process; it is still possible to get infected on the way to or at the airport, for example.
Separate, Kenya Airways (KQ) through its cargo arm KQ Cargo, unveiled an ultra-modern pharma facility at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), to help meet the demand for medical shipments around the world.
KQ Pharma facility aims to bring Africa together, to have an ecosystem of partners that go beyond freight capabilities but also ensures a sustainable impactful approach to reducing the disease burden in Africa.
According to Dick Murianki, KQ Cargo Director, the facility’s immediate focus will be improving logistics in distributing a potential COVID-19 vaccine in Africa.
“KQ Cargo has been laying the groundwork and working closely with pharmaceutical and medical customers to be ready to safely and effectively support their vaccines transportation needs to move efficiently once the vaccine is approved by the regulators,” says Dick Murianki.
By Joy Kyalo
