Air Malta has added its voice to calls by the International Air Transport Association to implement rapid, accurate and affordable Covid-19 testing for all departing passengers.
It will be a viable alternative to blanket quarantine measures to help restart global air connectivity, the airline said.
"The industry is in desperate need of a solution to bring back trust in travel. The key to restore the freedom of mobility across borders is through the systematic testing for Covid-19," said Air Malta’s Chairman Charles Mangion.
"Testing upon departure will give governments the confidence to open their borders without having to continuously run risk models and frequently change the rules imposed on travel."
Calls for coordinated pre-departure testing across Europe are growing as airlines and tourism businesses continue to suffer.
A group of 25 aviation industry associations last week signed a letter addressed to Ursula Von Der Leyen, President of the European Commission, urging immediate action to end quarantine measures and introduce a common testing system.
IATA has said investment in a common testing programme should be a priority for governments.
"We are seeing a daily reduction in passenger traffic and are constantly making changes to our network between demand and capacity. We critically need structured testing on departure of every single passenger," said Air Malta’s Chief Commercial Officer, Paul Sies.
Written by Ray Montgomery, US Editor
