by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:50 AM ET, Wed September 30, 2020
American Airlines announced it is working with international governments to begin offering pre-flight COVID-19 testing for travelers flying to other countries.
Starting with Jamaica and the Bahamas, American's pre-flight testing was designed to protect customer safety, inspire confidence in air travel and advance the aviation industry's recovery from the impact of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
The airline plans to expand the program to additional markets in the months ahead.
"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," American President Robert Isom said.
"Our plan for this initial phase of pre-flight 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," Isom continued.
In Jamaica, American reached an agreement with the local government to launch an initial testing program at its Miami International Airport next month. The initial phase of testing will be for Jamaican residents traveling to their home country, with those receiving a negative result being permitted to skip the otherwise mandatory 14-day quarantine.
American also has started working with the Bahamas and other islands in the Caribbean to launch similar testing programs that would allow travel to the region. The carrier's next international program will be with the Bahamas and is expected to launch next month.
In addition, the carrier has also started working with the government of Hawaii to develop a series of options that fit requirements for travel to the state. Starting October 15, American will begin a pre-flight COVID-19 testing program at its Dallas Fort Worth International Airport for customers traveling to Hawaii.
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