American Airlines Wants U.S. to Drop International Flyer Covid Test Requirements
Photo Credit: American says pre-departure testing rules for travelers to the U.S. hinder the international recovery. Skift / Edward Russell
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American Airlines considers pre-departure testing rules for U.S.-bound travelers the biggest hindrance to its international recovery. And while executives won't say if they will go away in May, they are bullish about a surge in both leisure and business travel.
American Airlines has added its voice to the growing chorus of travel industry companies calling for an end of pre-departure Covid testing rules for arriving international travelers.
“We believe the U.S. can safely follow countries that … have moved away from pre-departure testing,” American Chief Government Affairs Officer Nate Gatten said during the airline’s first-quarter earnings call Thursday. He did not offer a timeline for when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) could drop the rule, though Wall Street analysts suggested a potential May date.
The testing requirement is widely viewed as a deterrent to a full international recovery by airlines and others in the travel industry. As it stands, any international travelers must show proof of a negative Covid-19 test within a day of their departure for the U.S. Many other countries, including Canada and the UK, have dropped testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers.
American views the removal of testing rules as key to “unlocking long-haul international demand,” according to its first-quarter results presentation. Executives took a more nuanced view in their comments.
“International is in a lot of different states of play right now,” American Chief Revenue Officer Vasu Raja said Thursday when asked about the impact of testing rules. Other issues include still
