Business aviation advocates in Europe have repeatedly made the case for using short-turnaround Covid testing to replace shifting quarantine restrictions that have continued to suppress demand for flights as the continent has struggled to contain a second wave of infections. This has echoed calls from air transport lobbyists, who, as usual, take precedence in the attention of regulators.
The Coronavirus impact on the aviation Industry
Dec 8, 2020 - 4:13 PM
Looking to avoid a surge in Covid cases over the busy holiday period, Colorado’s Pitkin County, which encompasses Aspen’s popular ski resorts, has introduced health regulations and an online travel affidavit form that all visitors must complete before arrival.
Dec 8, 2020 - 10:20 AM
Governments have not received calls from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for the lifting of quarantines with much enthusiasm or responsiveness, despite the group’s persistent efforts to draw attention to scientific evidence of the ineffectiveness of such restrictions, IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac conceded Tuesday.
Dec 8, 2020 - 9:05 AM
My cough was very slight. A few days later the cough worsened and my lungs started to fill. Within a week, a fever started and a Covid-19 test was ordered. My taste and smell were fine, so it couldn’t be SARS-COV-2, I thought. Testing labs were overwhelmed in March and my symptoms worsened over the next few days. I measured my blood oxygen (SPO2): 80 percent while standing and mid-80s sitting. Thirty minutes later my wife Jane dropped me off at the Kaiser Medical Center ER.
Dec 7, 2020 - 1:09 PM
Flight crews should expect several days to pass from a Covid-19 exposure before they can be accurately tested for infection, and they should know that not all tests are created equal. That’s according to experts, including Mayo Clinic's Dr. Bobbi Pritt, who spoke with AIN and said molecular-based tests are the most effective at detecting the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
Dec 7, 2020 - 12:46 PM
Cathay Pacific has collaborated with AXA General Insurance Hong Kong Limited to provide free COVID-19 coverage to all passengers, the Hong Kong-based airline said Monday. The carrier will cover customers who fly from December 7, 2020, to February 28, 2021, for medical expenses related to a Covid-19 diagnosis incurred while overseas. The coverage does not apply to any treatment or testing costs in the passenger’s home country. Coverage for medical expenses related to Covid-19 extends to up to $200,000.
Dec 7, 2020 - 12:22 PM
The FAA is watching the deliberations of the first rounds of possibly available Covid-19 vaccines and plans to evaluate potential pilot use as soon as they gain emergency authorization, the agency said.
Dec 7, 2020 - 9:45 AM
Canadian business aircraft broker Skyservice Business Aviation sold seven aircraft over the past 12 weeks, representing what it said is record sales activity for light jet and turboprop sales.
Company officials attributed the surge in sales to the convenience and safety of private aviation. They are “attributes that are highly sought after in today’s pandemic environment,” said Skyservice v-p of business aviation Lyne Barbeau.
Dec 7, 2020 - 9:30 AM
The International Air Transport Association and the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations have urged governments to exempt crews from Covid-19 testing or other restrictions now applied to air travelers. The measures employed by some states contravene the recommended ICAO global guidelines, noted Gilberto Lopez Meyer, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Safety and Flight Operations.
Dec 4, 2020 - 2:39 PM
Transatlantic partners Delta Air Lines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines plan to launch special Covid-tested flights from Atlanta to Amsterdam starting December 15 that will allow eligible customers an exemption from quarantine after receiving a negative PCR test result in the Netherlands.
