IATA leads fight for
quarantine free travel
Countries follow with their own test programs
BY JEFF YAPALATER
The International Air
Transport Association (IATA)
has been an advocate for the
reduction and elimination of
quarantine for air airlines
around the world. IATA believes
that testing and tracing
can be a better tool for identifying
and isolating Covid carriers
that quarantines for everyone.
Several airlines are
following the general trend in
different ways. Most of these
are pilot programs from airlines
designed to give their respective
governments results
of these programs to prove
that testing is more productive
, less punitive and less imposing
in achieving detection
of the Covid traveller carrier.
The NYS Travel Advisory
continues to update the restrictions
on a regular basis.
The most recent change
has been to provide an opt-out
of the mandated 14 day quarantine
upon arrival at Port
Authority and NYS airports.
Currently an arriving passenger
must fill out a health
form, then quarantine for 14
days (there are a few exemptions).
However the Governor
recently has provided an Optout.
A passenger can opt out of
the 14 day quarantine by taking
a Covid test before entering
the United States, and providing
prof of a negative result
upon arriving. They still must
self quarantine for three days.
Then on the 4th day another
negative test is required. If
that also is negative, that person
to be exempt from the longer
quarantine period.
A=In addition, all travelers
at Port Authority facilities
must wear masks when
entering passing through and
in many cases aboard the aircraft
for the entire journey.
PAPD are on patrol and will
approach any person not adhering
to this rule. If the individual
is amenable to taking a
mask from an officer, all is well
and good. If there is resistance
a $50 summons is given. If there
is additional resistance, then
the officer may take the person
aside or into custody. So far,
only a handful of tickets have
been given out and no arrests.
AIRPORT V 18 OICE, DECEMBER 2020
Any violation of a quarantine
or isolation order issued
to an individual pursuant to
the Commissioner of the Department
of Health’s travel advisory
by a local department
of health or state department
of health may be enforced
pursuant to article 21 of the
public health law, and noncompliance
may additionally
be deemed a violation pursuant
to section 12 of the public
health law subject to a civil
penalty of up to $10,000.
State easing of
quarantine
States such as Hawaii are
offering quarantine free vacations
if their passengers are
tested before the flight with
either a PCR or Rapid NAAT
test. Xprescheck in Terminal
has an agreement with Hawaiian
and other airlines to is
providing these tests. When a
test is negative, a letter of certification
is given to the traveler
and accepted at boarding
and then no quarantine is necessary
when in Hawaii.
Country easing
Countries around the globe
are revisiting their quarantine
policies and moving to
less quarantine and more testing.
In addition, certain countries
have an agreement with
the U.S. Customs Border Protection
where their traveler
clear customs in their homeland
and then arrive at an airport
such as JFK as a regular
domestic arrival as is the case
with Etihad and Aer Lingus
airlines.
England is drastically reducing
its quarantine period
for people arriving from most
destinations in a move that
will potentially throw open
the doors for British people
wanting to take foreign vacations.
As of December 15, The UK
Test to Release test travelers
arriving into England will
have to self-isolate to 5 days instead
of the current 14 if they
have a negative Covid test result.
under a new testing strategy
announced by the UK government.
Those with the virus
International travelers must show health form on paper or on their device to NYS Department of Health representatives
upon entering the U.S. The National Guard has been called in to assist this effort and remind
can isolate for 10 fays instead
of the 14 days.
Airlines have
programs
One World Alliance
Alitalia if offering a Covid
Free flight into Rome without
quarantine. The traveler must
do and produce a negative test
result 48 hours before travel.
Then they take another rapid
test when they land in Rome.
If that is negative, then there
is no quarantine.
American Airlines and
British Airways are running
a pilot program for interested
travelers to take tests for a Covid
Free flight. AA is offering
a flight from Dulles and BA
from JFK to Heathrow. This
is a pilot program that foes not
offer a quarantine stay but is
a market research program
that may be of interest to business
travelers that have certain
exemptions. A Tests before
a flight, upon arrival in
Heathrow and 4 days into the
trip will help the airlines to
produce a result for the government
to help reduce or
eradicate airport quarantine
programs.
Delta
Delta is partnering with the
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention to keep international
customers informed
of potential COVID-19 exposure
through contact tracing.
Along with our nine global airline
partners, they are working
with government agencies,
health officials and aviation
authorities to offer safer travel
at every point in your journey.
It launches the industry’s first
contact tracing for travelers returning
to U.S.
Beginning Dec. 15, Delta
will become the first U.S. airline
to ask customers traveling
to the U.S. from an international
location to voluntarily
provide five pieces of data to
aid contact tracing and public
health follow-up efforts. By doing
so customers can help U.S.
government and health officials
reduce instances of potential
exposure and provide
travelers with important public
health information
Delta will offer Covid free
flying from Atlanta to Rome
with a negative test result
through February 12. The
submission of contact information
will be a required element
of Delta’s COVID-19
testing program enabling
quarantine-free entry to Italy
beginning Dec. 19.
United
Chicago-based United
Airlines had offered free
rapid tests to all passengers
and crew members on select
flights from Newark Liberty
International Airport to London
Heathrow from Nov. 16
to Dec. 11. They have not extended
the program.
Note1: The US CDC on
Wednesday said a shorter
quarantine period of seven
days with a negative Covid
test and 10 days without a test
would work for individuals
showing no symptoms after
exposure, giving alternatives
to the current 14-day standard.
Note2: These quarantine
periods change rapidly so
be sure to check with your airline
if you plan to travel in the
next few weeks.
travelers of the 14 day quarantine unless exempted.