International travel caps scrapped as airlines reveal Covid testing requirements
Arrivals caps will be scrapped as the reopening of international borders is fast-tracked. But airlines will require Covid vax proof. Here’s a quick guide.
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Thousands of Australians could be home by Christmas, with international travel caps to be scrapped when borders reopen and a phase to home quarantine commences.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed on Monday morning that with the news NSW is planning to fast track international travel as early as the end of this month, that would mean the end of caps for Australians trying to return home.
“They have carried part of the burden (during the pandemic),” Mr Hunt told Radio National.
“We want to see everybody home as quickly as possible.”
Mr Hunt’s comments come after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a plan on Sunday to fast track reopening NSW’s international borders.
It is understood the state will transition from hotel quarantine to home quarantine on November 1.
While Australian citizens and permanent residents will be the only people able to access the scheme at first, it could ramp up to include skilled workers and international students from next year.
The prime minister said he had talks with NSW premier Dominic Perrottet about bringing forward the date of international travel for fully vaccinated people.
“The NSW Premier and I have been discussing how we can accelerate our plan to open international travel when home quarantine is made available,’’ Mr Morrison said in a Facebook livestream on Sunday.
“I know the NSW Government is looking at ways to fast track home quarantine in November and if that happens we will be able to move to facilitate the opening up of the international border into NSW sooner.
“Now, that would mean home quarantine for vaccinated Australians wishing to return home via Sydney and giving the option for international travel for vaccinated Australians to leave and return.”
It comes as Malaysia on Sunday lifted interstate and international travel restrictions for fully vaccinated residents19, as the country achieved its target of inoculating 90 per cent of its adult population.
Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the government has agreed to allow fully vaccinated Malaysians to travel overseas without applying for permission.
The new rules take effect on Monday.
Malaysia Airlines group chief executive officer Capt Izham Ismail said the airline is ready to welcome guests onboard.
“We are delighted to celebrate the relaxation of interstate travel restrictions with fully-vaccinated customers.
“We look forward to welcoming them on board with the assurance of their safety and comfort throughout their journey,” he said in a statement.
With multiple global destinations now offering to receive foreign travellers, airlines are demanding you meet your destination’s requirements before you board the aircraft.
This mostly means a negative Covid-19 test result no older than 48-72 hours both prior to departure and upon return. This is in addition to proof of immunity such as vaccination or recovery from the virus.
When it comes to test results, what type of test is accepted, what type of proof you need to show, and how many tests will you need to take during your journey, the answer depends on the national mandates of your destination, the number of destinations or border transits you will make during your trip, and the quarantine period upon your return home.
To this extent it is wise to work closely with your airline for the best outcome, with many carriers offering discounted tests and in some cases free Covid insurance once you book.
Here is a quick guide to what airlines are asking for and offering.
QANTAS
Passengers flying internationally on Qantas must undergo a Covid-19 test before departure in Australia, and again before their return flight, as well as two more tests during the seven days of home quarantine.
Speaking in Boston from the International Air Transport Association annual general meeting, Qantas boss Alan Joyce said the seven day quarantine would hopefully be reduced to 72-hours and then removed entirely, according to The Australian.
On the return trip there will be checks by both Qantas and Australian Border Force to verify whether a person boarding a flight in London or Los Angeles for example was vaccinated, had tested negative to Covid, and had a home in which to quarantine, according to Mr Joyce.
If a passenger tested positive to Covid-19 before their return flight, they would have to remain overseas until they had recovered from the virus.
AIR NEW ZEALAND
Air New Zealand will require all adult international passengers to be fully vaccinated from February 1 next year.
People 18 and younger and those who can’t take the vaccine for medical reasons will be exempt, Air NZ chief executive Greg Foran has revealed, according to the New Zealand Herald.
The airline’s public-facing staff will be vaccinated, which includes about 75 per cent of all of its staff, he said.
He said it was “exciting” to hear about Australia’s plans to open up international travel.
Flying to New Zealand from Australia requires a Covid-19 PCR or RT-PCR pre-departure test, even if you’ve received a Covid-19 vaccination or recovered from the virus.
You are required to have a Covid-19 test (approved by the New Zealand Director-General of Health) no more than 72 hours before the scheduled departure time of the first international leg) of your journey to New Zealand.
PCR or RT-PCR pre-departure tests must be carried out at a private testing clinic, not by a kit, community centre or indicated by a SMS from a laboratory.
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA
Virgin Australia is seeing strong interest in its first international flights to Fiji scheduled to start on 23 December.
The airline has remained in talks with government about whether passengers would need to be fully vaccinated to board the services, although the Covid test requirements are likely to be in line with those set out by Qantas and by the destination.
FIJI AIRLINES
Fiji is currently only open to fully vaccinated travellers and only recognises the Astra-Zenaca, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines.
It is essential that everyone over 12 years old gets a negative RT PCR Test done three days before boarding your flight to Fiji as this will be checked by the airline and border control.
Private hospitals in Nadi will be able to issue you with a fast negative RT-PCR test for your return journey costing approximately $350 FJD (A$228) per test. Rapid Tests cost around $35 FJD (A$23).
SINGAPORE AIRLINES
Travellers two years or older entering or transiting through Singapore are required to take a pre-departure PCR test within 48 hours before the scheduled departure date of their flight.
For passengers entering Singapore via the Reciprocal Green Lane arrangements, the pre-departure test can be taken within 72 hours before the scheduled departure date of their flight.
Time limit rules apply to the transits of connecting flights through Singapore.
Self-administered PCR tests are not accepted for entry or transit through Singapore.
The Covid-19 PCR test must be taken at an accredited medical facility, and in English.
QATAR AIRWAYS
All passengers departing from Ho Chi Minh City are required to have a valid negative test certificate and must meet your destination Covid test requirements.
Currently, local authorities only require negative Covid test certificate for passengers departing from Ho Chi Minh City but that may change for passengers departing from Hanoi.
Qatar Airways is offering passengers a Covid-19 PCR test at approved hospitals or discount offers from hospital partners.
ETIHAD AIRWAYS
You must have a Covid-19 PCR test before you fly to Abu Dhabi, even if you are just transiting.
Etihad’s website offers a search engine to work out your final destination and where and when to take your tests.
Covid-19 PCR testing is available across the UAE and Etihad has partnered with approved clinics.
If you’re diagnosed with Covid-19 while you’re away and purchased insurance through the airline, Etihad will take care of your medical expenses and quarantine costs.
CATHAY PACIFIC
Cathay Pacific mandates its requirements based on those of your destination.
Once you book with the airline it offers free Covid insurance.
It also offers discounts and partner benefits for passengers’ Covid-19 PCR tests.
TRAVELLING TO AND WITHIN EUROPE
Europe is cautiously opening up its borders again and welcoming vaccinated travellers from a list of Covid-safe countries and visitors who have received EU approved vaccines. These include Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer-BioNTech.
However, the European Union maintains rules and restrictions to be followed by all visitors and around 27 nations require foreign nationals have a Covid test before arrival.
Requiring individuals to have a negative coronavirus test before travelling to Europe is an effective way of preventing the virus from spreading across borders.
Mandatory Covid testing for travel to Europe is one of the measures supported by the EU.
In line with these EU guidelines, an increasing number of European countries have established specific requirements.
Check with the EU Member State you wish to visit to see whether they need a test and which kinds are accepted.
It is likely that your airline carrier within the bloc will require you to have a “Green Pass”.
ALITALIA
As required by the D.L. 111 from 1 September, 2021 it is mandatory to present the Green Pass (Covid-19 Green Certification) when boarding your flight for both domestic and international destinations.
This documentation is now required to access the secure areas of all Italian airports.
The Green Pass is accepted in both digital and paper format in Italian, English, French and Spanish.
Regarding international flights, Alitalia advises passengers it has the obligation to verify the dates of the vaccine administration via your printed vaccine certificate, which is preferred over digital copies.
LUFTHANSA
A negative Covid-19 test, which must take place before entering Germany, is required regardless of the risk classification for those entering Germany.
Those who are fully vaccinated, have recovered from Covid-19 and children under 12 are exempt from compulsory testing.
However, testing is compulsory for those vaccinated or recovered who are entering Germany from a virus variant area.
For high risk areas, the test procedure must be performed no earlier than 48 hours (antigen test) or 72 hours (PCR, RT-LAMP or TMA test) before entry and for virus variant areas, the test procedure must be performed no earlier than 24 hours (antigen test) or 72 hours (PCR, RT-LAMP or TMA test) before entry, must be available on paper or in an electronic document, must be personalised, must include the procedure used (PCR, antigen, RT-LAMP or TMA test) and the test result and be certified by a doctor or a recognised laboratory.
TRAVELLING TO AND WITHIN THE US
On 12 January, 2021, the CDC announced an Order requiring all air passengers arriving to the US from a foreign country to get tested no more than three days before their flight departs and to present the negative result or documentation of having recovered from Covid-19 to the airline before boarding the flight.
The US requires you show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight, or be prepared to show documentation of recovery (proof of a recent positive viral test and a letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).
Air passengers will also be required to confirm that the information they present is true in the form of an attestation.
Most major American carriers assist their passengers with accessing testing while travelling domestically or prior to departure from the US.
the CDC requires that passengers must be tested with a viral test that could be either an antigen test or a nucleic acid amplification test. Examples include but are not restricted to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), transcription-mediated amplification (TMA), nicking enzyme amplification reaction (NEAR), and helicase-dependent amplification (HDA).
The test used must be authorised for use by the relevant national authority for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the country where the test is administered.
ALASKA AIRLINES
Alaska Airlines has partnered with several testing providers, offering at-home, in-person and drive-through options.
Alaska partnered with Costco Wholesale to offer saliva-based at-home testing kits for travellers ages 5 and up.
These tests cost US$140 (A$191) each and are delivered via UPS overnight delivery during your stay in the US.
The tests are administered with a video observation appointment.
Alaska also partnered with local drug companies to offer in-person priority testing between A$190-250 with same or next-day results at their testing sites in Seattle, Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego, and San Jose.
AMERICAN AIRLINES
American Airlines offers at-home and in-person testing for passengers who will then need to upload their test results to the VeriFLY app.
American Airlines does not require Covid-19 testing for domestic flights, although the CDC recommends unvaccinated travellers get tested one to three days before travelling.
AA passengers flying to Belize, Grenada, St. Lucia and Chile will receive at-home testing kits prior to departure.
These tests have a 48-hour turnaround time and are followed up with a virtual visit by a medical professional.
At-home test kits cost around A$185 and it’s recommended that you purchase your test at least five days before departure.
Some destinations require a negative test result within 72 hours of departure, while others have a seven-day window.
In-person rapid testing costs around A$200 and is offered by AA on select routes and locations near airports AA flies out of.
Some airports such as Dallas-Fort Worth administer rapid on-site tests for A$300 with results available within 15 minutes.
Passengers flying to London must present a negative test within 72 hours before boarding.
DELTA
While the most universally accepted Covid-19 test is a molecular PCR test, some destinations accept other forms of NAAT tests and antigen tests as well.
Most destinations do not accept antibody tests for entry and Delta provides a global map indicating which destinations require which type of tests
The FDA provides a good overview about the basics of Covid-19 test types here at their website fda.gov.
HAWAIIAN AIRLINES
Hawaii is one of the only US states requiring mandatory negative Covid-19 results to bypass a 14-day quarantine.
Hawaiian partnered with Vault Health to provide FDA-authorised saliva-based at-home tests with expedited processing exclusively for Hawaiian flyers, with a 24-hour turnaround for results.
Hawaiian also partnered with Worksite Labs to provide drive-through nasal swab appointments in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. These testing facilities are all located near the airports. Each test costs about A$105, with results within 36 hours.
UNITED AIRLINES
If you’re flying UA within the US, the airline offers a self-collected, mail-in testing option to give you peace of mind when you travel.
If you’re travelling to the US, United offers approved testing options that will allow you to satisfy testing requirements for entry.
Travellers originating from outside the US can arrange an appointment for a local Covid-19 test through United and partner health care provider, TrustAssure. The airline’s website has search tools for requirements and testing providers at different pricing.
TRAVELLING TO THE UK
You must take a COVID-19 test before you travel to England if you do not qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England or have been in a country or territory on the Red List in the 10 days before you will arrive in England
You do not have to take a Covid-19 test before you travel to England if you qualify as fully vaccinated and you have not been in a Red List country.
The test must be either a nucleic acid test, including a PCR test, a LAMP test, or an antigen test.
You must check with your test provider that the test meets the standards.
If you have recently had Covid but are no longer infectious, you should use a lateral flow device (LFD) test to prove you can travel.
For your return or ongoing journey some major British airports such as Heathrow have same-day PCR testing clinics on site and your airline may assist you in connecting to the right test depending on your destination.
BRITISH AIRWAYS
BA have partnered with 14 suppliers of PCR and antigen tests and offer their customers exclusive discounts when booking the tests, which start in price from 20 pounds and up (A$37).
The BA website has a search engine where you can enter your destination and dates to check what Covid-19 tests, documentation or other requirements are demanded by authorities at your destination.
Before ordering a test of any kind, check your destination’s testing requirements and make sure you have the approved and necessary test results, preferably in PDF or printed form, before you travel.
Check thoroughly with your airline to make sure the requirements haven’t changed before you leave home.
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