A commendable initiative by British Airways
News that British Airways (BA) is exploring the possibility of introducing pre-flight coronavirus tests in collaboration with pharmacy chain Boots is most welcome.
Stories in the British press report a spokesperson for the airline saying the intention is to help “customers access pre-flight testing through third parties if their destination requires this” — a move that could boost consumer confidence and increase passenger numbers.
While the airline has made it clear that the plans have not been finalised, the spokesperson said: “We are doing everything we can to make travel as safe and stress-free as possible for our customers in these unprecedented times.”
The times are, indeed, extraordinary. At last count COVID-19’s global toll was more than 788,000 deaths and over 22.4 million cases. Economies across the world have been shattered and are struggling to recover.
Industry figures indicate that, globally, air travel is down more than 85 per cent from a year ago as aircraft have been grounded due to lockdowns and border closures aimed at halting the spread of the virus.
In BA’s case, its parent, International Airlines Group — which also owns Spanish carrier Iberia, as well as Irish airline Aer Lingus — has already reported a first-half net loss of US$4.5 billion.
At it now stands, BA has been flying at reduced capacity since the start of the pandemic, operating less than 20 per cent of its normal schedule.
Amidst all this, we are seeing signs that people are willing to travel. Indeed, Jamaica has been welcoming tourists, many of whom have expressed satisfaction with extensive safety protocols implemented in the tourism sector.
We expect, though, that Jamaica will see a dip in visitors following last week’s announcement by the Ministry of Health and Wellness that non-residents visiting the island from the US, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico — which have all been designated as high-risk locations — are now required to obtain COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, showing that they are not infected, prior to arrival.
Other jurisdictions are now requiring this test, but as we have pointed out before, it is expensive, especially when done by private companies. The prices we have seen in the US run anywhere from US$50 to US$200, while in the UK, we are told, it can cost upwards of £100.
It’s no secret in the travel trade that these costs are deterring many people from visiting destinations that require the test.
This has created a dilemma for governments who have a responsibility to ensure public health but at the same time must seek to prevent their economies from plunging further.
A few days ago, we commented on the saliva-based laboratory diagnostic test designed by Yale University scientists as a more affordable method to determine if someone is infected with COVID-19. On average, that test costs about US$10.
We have not yet been informed about the price of the pre-flight tests BA proposes to have done. However, industry analysts are of the view that Boots, because of its wide network, has the advantage to offer testing services at many locations and, as such, could prove less costly to travellers.
We await further details from BA, especially given that the carrier operates a service between England and Jamaica. At the same time, the airline should be commended for this initiative.