CHICAGO, Nov. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- United
announced today it is expanding its customer COVID-19 testing
efforts to include flights out of Houston to select destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Starting for flights departing on
December 7, customers originating
from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) will have the
option to take a self-collected, mail-in test that meets local
entry requirements for the following destinations, allowing them to
reunite with family or start their vacation immediately:
- Aruba
(AUA)
- Belize City, Belize
(BZE)
- Guatemala City,
Guatemala (GUA)
- Lima, Peru
(LIM)
- Nassau, Bahamas
(NAS)
|
- Panama City, Panama
(PTY)
- Roatan, Honduras
(RTB)
- San Pedro Sula,
Honduras (SAP)
- San Salvador, El
Salvador (SAL)
- Tegucigalpa,
Honduras (TGU)
|
"Widespread testing is key to unlocking international borders
and safely reopening global travel. This is particularly important
for our customers in Houston, who
rely on United to keep them connected with their family and friends
in Latin America and the
Caribbean," said Toby Enqvist, chief customer officer for United.
"We'll continue to lead the way on testing – United was the first
to announce a customer COVID-19 testing program and the first to
offer free tests on flights across the Atlantic – and we'll look at
new, innovative ways to make the travel experience even safer."
The self-collected, mail-in COVID-19 test is $119. The test will be administered by Advanced
Diagnostic Laboratory (ADL) and processed at their COVID-19
testing laboratory in San Antonio,
Texas. United will reach out to customers 14 days ahead of
their flights to provide instructions on ordering a test and the
testing process. United encourages customers to research the local
requirements for further questions specific to their destination.
Customers are advised to take the tests 72 hours before departure
and should expect to receive results via email within 24-48 hours
of mailing in their test.
"As the energy capital of the world and most diverse city in
the United States, Houston plays an influential role in linking
global economies," said Sylvester
Turner, City of Houston
mayor. "As we fight against a second wave of the coronavirus, the
private and public sectors, with guidance from public health
experts, must work collaboratively and judiciously to reopen the
global economy. Although a vaccine would be the ultimate solution,
United's expansion of its customer testing program is a step in the
right direction. I commend United for their leadership and
forward-thinking."
ADL's self-collection kit includes a plastic tube, a nasal swab
and instructions on how to properly collect a specimen. ADL's
telehealth system will be available to support customers traveling
to countries that require a health care professional to supervise
the COVID-19 test. United has worked closely with officials in each
country to ensure that any customer – both visitors and nationals
returning home – who tests negative will be able to enter the
country.
"Accurate and reliable testing is not only critical to reducing
the spread of COVID-19, but essential in helping get this virus
under control," said Stan Crawford,
chief operations officer for ADL. "We are invested in United's
commitment to ensuring customers not only meet their destination's
entry requirements but that, when they do travel, they do so in a
way that is safer."
Click here for b-roll and visual assets of ADL's
self-collection kit and testing
In addition to adding another key element to its layered
approach to safety, United has also seen a positive impact on
travel demand and significant increases in customer load factors
and revenue when testing options are available. For example, after
United announced its COVID-19 test for customers traveling from
San Francisco to Hawaii and allowing them to avoid a 14-day
quarantine, the airline saw a nearly 95% increase in passengers
compared to the prior two-week period. Last week, United launched
the world's first free transatlantic COVID-19 testing pilot between
Newark Liberty International Airport and London Heathrow Airport.
Through this pilot program, all crew members and customers over the
age of two on select flights will be required to take a rapid
COVID-19 test and provide a negative result in order to take the
flight, ensuring that everyone on board over the age of two has
tested negative before departure.
A safer travel experience: United
CleanPlusSM
Since the start of the pandemic, United has been a leader in
enacting new policies and innovations designed to keep employees
and passengers safer when traveling. It was the first U.S. airline
to mandate masks for flight attendants, quickly following with all
customers and employees. United was also among the first U.S.
carriers to announce it wouldn't permit customers who refused to
comply with the airline's mandatory mask policy to fly with them
while the face mask policy is in place. United was also the first
U.S. airline to roll out touchless check-in for customers with
bags, and the first to require passengers take an online health
assessment before traveling. United is applying Zoono Microbe
Shield, an EPA-registered antimicrobial coating that forms a
long-lasting bond with surfaces and inhibits the growth of
microbes, to its entire mainline and express fleet before the end
of the year.
The latest research, including a recent study conducted by the
U.S. Department of Defense, shows COVID-19 exposure risk on board
United aircraft is almost zero due to the airline's advanced air
filtration systems, mandated mask policy and diligent cleaning
protocols.
For more details on all the ways United is helping keep
customers safe during their journey, please
visit united.com/cleanplus.
About United
United's shared purpose is "Connecting People. Uniting the
World." For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on
Twitter and Instagram or connect on Facebook. The common stock of
United's parent, United Airlines Holdings, Inc., is traded on the
Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".
About Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory
Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory (ADL) is a leader in scientific
testing standards for the COVID-19 virus, both in the U.S. and
internationally. Located in San Antonio,
Texas, ADL has over 80 years of combined experience in
clinical diagnostic testing procedures and works globally with
local communities to provide safe and healthy lifestyles. For more
information, call ADL at 1.800.834.3522 or visit our website at
ADLHealth.com.
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/united-introduces-customer-covid-19-testing-from-houston-to-latin-american-and-caribbean-destinations-301178574.html
SOURCE United Airlines