American Airlines joined the dash among US carriers to offer preflight coronavirus testing to Jamaica and Hawaii that it hopes to eventually expand to other international markets. The initial phase, starting next month, will involve Jamaican residents travelling to their home country through American’s hub at Miami, the carrier said Tuesday. A negative test would waive a 14-day quarantine requirement on arrival in the country. The program could be expanded later to all passengers traveling to Jamaica. American also will offer tests between Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Hawaii as of Oct. 15. Further expansion could include the Bahamas and other Caribbean countries. Details of the Jamaica testing program weren’t immediately disclosed. For flights from Dallas-Fort Worth to Honolulu and Maui, American will partner with LetsGetChecked, a home-testing provider owned by PrivaPath Diagnostics that will provide results within 48 hours. In-person testing will be provided by CareNow, a unit of HCA Healthcare Inc. Travelers can visit a clinic location or get a rapid test at the airport. American didn’t immediately provide the cost of testing, which must be completed within 72 hours of the final leg of flight. As in Jamaica, visitors to Hawaii can avoid a two-week quarantine with a negative test. The state’s self-isolation rule has been discouraging most travelers.<br/>
oneworld
Cathay Pacific Airways said Wednesday it welcomed all employee ideas to get it through the pandemic after pilots pushing to be included in restructuring talks ran a newspaper advertisement to drum up public support. The Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association (HKAOA) is facing a loss of relevance as its key agreements with Cathay expire next month, meaning the airline would no longer recognise the union’s representation. HKAOA General Secretary Chris Beebe said the union had been served with termination notices in July that took effect in three months. Cathay declined to comment. The airline this month declined to apply for more government employment subsidies for its main business units, freeing it from the condition to retain jobs tied to the grants and fuelling worries of layoffs.<br/>