The International Air Transport Association and airline unions have urged governments to exempt airline crews from constant Covid-19 testing due to the excessive costs.
According to calculations made by one unnamed airline, crew testing costs would be nearly $1 million a year for each single daily flight route, IATA said.
"Airlines are willing to invest in safety that delivers meaningful outcomes, but that is not the case with unilateral, uncoordinated testing requirements," said Gilberto Lopez Meyer, IATA Senior Vice President, Safety and Flight Operations.
Lopez Meyer says some government rules on testing breach the recommended ICAO global guidelines.
The guidelines say crew should not be subject to the same screening or restrictions applied to other travelers and it should be as ‘non-invasive as possible.’
Alongside the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations, IATA is calling for priority vaccinations for airline pilots and cabin crew.
Early inoculation of crew would keep flight services operational and put them in a strong position for the recovery.
Captain Jack Netskar, IFALPA President, said daily Covid testing puts undue stress and pressure on crews in addition to the prohibitive costs to airlines.
Written by Ray Montgomery, US Editor
