ACI, IATA reaffirm coordinated COVID-19 testing approach

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Airports Council International (ACI) World and International Air Transport Association (IATA) officials are reaffirming advocacy in which governments use COVID-19 testing to safely re-open borders and re-establish global connectivity.

The organizations are also calling for non-debt generating financial support to prevent the aviation industry’s systemic collapse.

“The COVID-19 pandemic remains an existential crisis and airports, airlines and their commercial partners need direct and swift financial assistance to protect essential operations and jobs,” ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said. “But such assistance is only one piece of the puzzle as the industry restarts and prepares to sustain continuing operations focused on the health and welfare of travelers, staff, and the public. ACI and IATA are aligned in calling for urgent government action to introduce widespread and coordinated testing of passengers to enable quarantine requirements to be removed. Without this action, it is not an exaggeration that the industry is facing collapse.”

ACI and the IATA maintain the potential actions would protect countries from importing COVID-19 cases, avert an employment crisis in the travel and tourism sector and ensure critical aviation structure remains viable while supporting global economic and social benefits.

“We need action quickly,” Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO, said. “Large parts of the global air network have been severely ruptured for well over a half year. Job losses—inside and outside the industry—mount with each day that borders are closed. And with each job lost, the recovery and impact on the broader economy becomes even more difficult. Momentum is building in support of testing to re-open borders. It’s the top operational priority.”