US/UK Air Corridor Planned Despite Pandemic

Plans are moving forward to establish an air route between New York City and London with reduced quarantine time.

While still in early stages, officials in both the U.S. and the U.K. hope to institute fast testing to allow holiday travelers access without the lengthy quarantine periods currently required, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a body blow to the airline industry, due to both passenger reluctance and government safety measures. The International Air Transport Association published data indicating that international August air travel had dropped 88%.

A stilted and ineffective response has given the U.S. unusually high infection rates for a country of its resources, and even international allies won’t risk cross-contamination. Currently, travelers face a variety of waiting periods after arriving in new countries, if visits are permitted at all.

Advances in testing have given transportation officials an opportunity to change that.

Test production has risen to exceed demand in recent months, and reduced wait time for results has opened the possibility of on-site testing or at-home kits. The precise rules around quarantine times are still being negotiated, but some plans would require as little as a single day of isolation upon arrival. An unnamed official told the Journal some partner countries would prefer longer quarantines, since the faster tests can be less accurate.

For now, officials are just considering the initial corridor between the U.S. and U.K. The framework of that plan could be expanded to include other countries. Germany has reportedly been involved in the negotiations.

Despite this progress, some airlines say the industry can’t truly recover without a reliable vaccine. Aaron McMillan, managing director of operation policy and support for United Airlines, told the Journal he hopes eventually “proof of a vaccination will replace proof of a negative test result.”