In an attempt to move testing forwarding as a means to eventually loosen travel restrictions, United Airlines will trial a free COVID-19 testing program for select passengers traveling from Newark to London Heathrow starting next month.
Free, Mandatory COVID-19 Testing On United Airlines For UA14 Passengers
Passengers traveling on United Flight 14 (7:15pm departure) on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays between November 16 – December 11 will not only be subject, but compelled to take the test prior to the flight. All passengers three and older will be tested.
United’s motive is to help establish a travel bubble between Newark and London and eventually to more destinations. Chief Customer Officer Toby Enqvist explained:
“We believe the ability to provide fast, same-day COVID-19 testing will play a vital role in safely reopening travel around the world and navigating quarantines and travel restrictions, particularly to key international destinations like London. Through this pilot program, we’ll guarantee that everyone* on board has tested negative for COVID-19, adding another element to our layered approach to safety. United will continue to lead on testing, while at the same time exploring new solutions that contribute to the safest travel experience possible.”
(* everyone over two years old that is)
Customers will be asked to schedule (though not necessarily take) their COVID-19 test at least three hours prior to their flight. The test will be offered at the United Club near gate C93. Passengers who do not want to take part in the test will not be able to travel on the flight.
CONCLUSION
As elected leaders dither on a national testing program which could strongly impact the economy and re-open borders currently closed to U.S. citizens, I am glad to see United Airlines stepping up to offer its own program. Even as Europe enters another phase of lockdown, I maintain that adequate testing is the best way forward to re-open closed borders on both sides of the Atlantic.
image: United Airlines
So does this avoid the mandatory quarantine in the UK? If this is just for peace of mind, I’d book another flight. You should point out the UK doesn’t have a travel ban and is open to Americans.
It does not avoid the current quarantine.
Are these tests as unreliable as the instant tests used by the White House?
I believe they are the exact same tests as used by the White House.
You’re glad to see United add an extra step which will add several hours to travel time? Really? Is this a PR shill post?
Guaranteed most people just cancel their booking and pick a different flight to London which doesn’t involve this nonsense
Yeah this is nonsense which adds extra time. Def a PR shill post I agree. Waste of my time reading this post.
Nonsense. We need a viable testing protocol in place to get rid of the onerous and ridiculous 14-day quarantine for arriving passengers to the UK. This may be burdensome in the sense that it requires an extra step in the travel process, but we can look upon it on utilitarian grounds as advancing what will eventually be a greater good for a greater number. The goal should be to re-open air traffic and testing can make that possible. Viable, rapid, accurate testing will lessen the need for border closures and obligatory quarantine.
The quarantine isn’t really enforced so we don’t need extra steps. Getting rid of the quarantine requirement is as simple as ignoring it till the govt gives up and removes it officially.
What we don’t need are extra hassles at the airport.
Indeed. Lots of people arrive in the UK then simply ignore the so-called “14 day quarantine.” Generally the same folks who ignore the “requirement” to wear a mask. No extra hassles for these folks, the rules don’t apply to them.
Causing others to be on a ventilator or die, well, fortunately that’s just a hassle for someone else.
How does this benefit me as a passenger? I still have to quarantine for 14 days when I arrive in England.
I suppose that knowing everyone else on the plane is covid free is some consolation for having your brain scratched through your nose. I had this and didn’t enjoy it.
Do I still need to wear a mask?
Mask still required. The hope is that the UK will eventually waive the obligatory 14-day quarantine for those who test negative before/after arrival.
I am curious how the ADA will work with this.
I have no problem with and have taken many COVID tests; it’s even part of my job at the airport I work at if I were to to come back to work after leaving my home state.
However, my father, for example, would not be able to take a nose COVID tests, due to sensitive nasal turbinates. He would be able to do a throat test, but there are definitely some fit-to-fly yet physically compromised folks who can’t take it in one form or another.
They could reaccommodate you on another flight, sure, but this is an issue with testing.
Historically, in the places that have allowed testing in lieu of a 14 day quarantine (like Massachusetts, Alberta, etc.) if you abstain from taking a test for any reason, the alternative is doing the two-week quarantine. This is why I’m a bit uneasy about seeing how mandated things like this might expand.
All fair questions.
The ADA is not going to work as a defense to the test if another country requires the nose test for entry. There is no constitutional nor statutory right to travel to another country.
Agree with other comments, don’t see much benefit to passenger. If they’re going to say passengers don’t have to wear a mask since they all tested negative, that would be a benefit. If they restore all the normal in-flight service, that would be a benefit. Will I get access to a real lounge with all the other COVID negative passengers? Additionally COVID-19 tests are know to have significant false positive rates. Why would I risk a false positive when I don’t get any benefit from a negative test?
I think you have to view yourself as the guinea pig here for the greater good of air travel.
Why are they doing this?
The UK doesn’t have any restrictions on US citizens entering right now. I’ve been to London twice this month and other than the UK health form, there isn’t any bother.
UK citizens can’t come to the USA so I’m not sure of the point to test people going from US to UK.
They are trying to make the case for eliminating the 14-day quarantine, which kills business travel. EWR-LHR was United’s most lucrative route pre-pandemic.
Problem with all anti maskers you see om the streets in the red states is that they are all broke losers who can’t actually afford to fly, else the airlines would all be doing well.
I’m an “anti masker” in a blue state that has paid to fly almost 100k miles in business class this year. BTW, if you have actually left your basement this year you would know that most flights are full. But I’m sure you’re right, as always.
I flew UA 14 in the past week and it was perhaps the least full intercontinental flights I can recall taking. J was <10/44, PP was maybe 4/21 and Y+/Y was about 35/199. I flew FRA-IAD recently as well and it had a similar load. I will be requalifying for 1K with my next round-trip.
The UK quarantine is a joke and mask compliance in public is quite poor. Lockdowns, unless extremely strict, are pointless. They are merely postponing the inevitable. The stated purpose of lockdowns in the vast majority of countries was "flattening the curve," not elimination of the virus. Fatties should commit to losing weight if they don't want to be at higher risk of catching COVID-19 and dying from it. I resent that the healthy population should have its freedoms abrogated to protect people who clearly show no interest in taking care of themselves. As for the aged, they were betrayed by mostly Democratic governors in the US who thoughtlessly sent viral bombs in their midst.
Troll – enough with the fat shaming, GMAFB
You claim you are no Trump supporter, yet you seem just like the target voter for him
What happened to following the science, UA-TDS? Do you believe that Black obesity is the fault of white supremacy? What about white obesity? I have posted a number of links about obesity and COVID-19 below, even though I know you won’t read a single article. Your mind doesn’t seem to have any capacity for anything besides anti-Trump hysteria. Who is really the troll? What a blinkered worldview one must have to see everyone as either a Biden voter or Trump voter. Sad!
Why COVID-19 is more deadly in people with obesity—even if they’re young
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/09/why-covid-19-more-deadly-people-obesity-even-if-theyre-young
Covid-19: Why are age and obesity risk factors for serious disease?
https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4130
Individuals with obesity and COVID‐19: A global perspective on the epidemiology and biological relationships
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.13128
Excess weight can increase risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/excess-weight-can-increase-risk-of-serious-illness-and-death-from-covid-19
Obesity increases risk of Covid-19 death by 48%, study finds
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/26/obesity-increases-risk-of-covid-19-death-by-48-study-finds
When Two Pandemics Meet: Why Is Obesity Associated with Increased COVID-19 Mortality?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7323660/
Obesity and COVID-19: A Perspective from the European Association for the Study of Obesity on Immunological Perturbations, Therapeutic Challenges, and Opportunities in Obesity
https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/510719
How obesity could create problems for a COVID vaccine
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02946-6
The time to act is now: Accelerating action on obesity during COVID-19
https://www.wcrf.org/int/blog/articles/2020/09/time-act-now-accelerating-action-obesity-during-covid-19
Every one of your comments go into moderation. Are you using a different email address each time?
No, always the same one. I assumed comments were going into moderation because of the links that “follow the science.”
Other way round: Any word that the DHS would allow Europeans to enter the US if they could present a negative covid19 test from just before having boarded the transatlantic flight, upon arrival at a US airport? That would help bring back transatlantic air business.