The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for the development and implementation of rapid, accurate, affordable, easy-to-operate, scalable, and systematic COVID-19 testing for all airplane passengers before their flights depart.
IATA said testing would be an alternative to quarantine measures and would help to re-establish global air connectivity. The organization said it would work through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and with health officials to implement such testing.
According to the agency, international travel is down 92 percent over 2019 levels. In the six months since countries closed their borders to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, international travel remains limited due to either quarantine measures making travel impractical or frequent changes in COVID-19 measures making planning impossible.
“The key to restoring the freedom of mobility across borders is systematic COVID-19 testing of all travelers before departure. This will give governments the confidence to open their borders without complicated risk models that see constant changes in the rules imposed on travel. Testing all passengers will give people back their freedom to travel with confidence. And that will put millions of people back to work,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.
At least 65.5 million jobs depend on the aviation industry, the agency said, making investing in a border-opening testing solution a priority for governments. Additionally, governments need to support the aviation industry to avert a collapse of the economy. The aviation industry has already posted a record net loss of over $80 billion in 2020, and lost revenues are expected to exceed $400 billion.
“Safety is aviation’s top priority. We are the safest form of transport because we work together as an industry with governments to implement global standards. With the economic cost associated with border closures rising daily and a second-wave of infections taking hold, the aviation industry must call on this expertise to unite with governments and medical testing providers to find a rapid, accurate, affordable, easy-to-operate, and scalable testing solution that will enable the world to safely re-connect and recover,” said de Juniac.
IATA’s research has found that 84 percent of the travelers surveyed agreed that testing should be required of all travelers, and 88 percent said they were willing to undergo testing as part of the travel process.