Airlines must confirm the negative test result or recovery documentation for all passengers before boarding. If a passenger fails to provide documentation of a negative or recovery test, or decides not to perform a test, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger. The recent decision by a federal judge to overturn the national mandate to use masks for airplanes and other forms of public transportation does not affect the requirement for international travelers to test negative for COVID-19. The Department of Justice has since appealed that decision. The Embassy in Canada and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say the test requirement applies to anyone two years of age or older. Exemptions will be considered “extremely limited”, and those who wish to apply for one should contact the nearest embassy or consulate. For those who are unable to obtain a negative test result or recovery documentation, they may be eligible for Continue Access, which is an exemption from the testing requirement.
Both rapid antigen tests and PCR tests are accepted as proof of a negative result. According to the CDC, the test “must be authorized for use by the appropriate national authority for the detection of COVID-19 in the country where the test is administered.”People who recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days do not need to test negative and can instead prove it by a positive previous test result and a letter from a health care provider or public health official stating that they have been authorized to travel. The CDC does not require travelers with a recent diagnosis of COVID-19 to test negative for COVID-19, since a person can continue to test positive for the virus for up to three months. Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines say passengers flying to the U.
S. without negative COVID-19 tests or proof of recovery will be denied boarding.Delta passengers can also provide health documentation online before checking in for their flight. American Airlines has information on its website about packable rapid test kits that travelers can use before their return flight to the U. S.
If you use a rapid test kit, the procedure must include a “telehealth service” affiliated with the test manufacturer, according to the CDC. In other words, someone needs to see how you take the test virtually.The Department of Homeland Security also requires many non-citizens entering the U. by plane, land or ship to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide tests on demand. Travelers who board flights within the United States during the coronavirus pandemic do not have to show negative proof of COVID-19.If you decide not to travel due to coronavirus, you should contact your airline to find out what their refund policy is or if they have specific guidelines about the outbreak.
However, it is your responsibility as a passenger to check travel and flight restrictions due to coronavirus and ensure that you comply with them. In some cases, if you're traveling on an EU flight, you may be entitled to compensation if your flight is cancelled due to coronavirus.
