United Airlines has expanded its website and app to allow customers to access COVID testing locations—including more than 3,000 new Walmart and Albertson Cos. locations across the US—through the airline’s website and mobile app in its Travel Ready Center. Airline customers can now book COVID-19 testing appointments at more than 3,800 total testing providers powered by Accenture technology and the CLX Health’s TrustAssure network and have their results delivered within four to 48 hours of their test and directly submitted to United’s website and mobile app to be reviewed for their flight. Through United’s Travel Ready Center, customers can view a list of localized, eligible COVID testing locations, recently updated to include select Albertsons and Walmart locations, as well as additional drug stores, pharmacy chains and local healthcare providers across the country.<br/>
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Israel Aerospace Industries is further broadening its modification capabilities with a new freighter conversion line in Ethiopian for Boeing 767-300ERs. The line will be established at Addis Ababa, at the Ethiopian Airlines maintenance facility, under an agreement with the African carrier. Ethiopian Airlines CE Tewolde Gebremariam says the carrier will be the first customer, with three of its 767s undergoing conversion. IAI Aviation Group general manager Yossi Melamed says that the expansion demonstrates the continuing appeal of the twinjet to the cargo sector. The rise in e-commerce, he says, has supported the demand for 767s and all the company’s available slots for converting the type are “fully booked” through 2022. Melamed says the company “needs more lines”. IAI developed the 767-300BDSF freighter as a follow-up to the -200BDSF. It features a large cargo door, a 9g rigid barrier, reinforced floor, and changes to several systems – such as lighting, oxygen and environmental control – within the aircraft. It has 24 main-deck and 30 lower-deck cargo positions. Its new 767 conversion facility will complement its other cargo modification operations for the type at Tel Aviv and Mexico City.<br/>
Air New Zealand will continue a normal schedule from Queenstown to Auckland and Wellington for an extra 24 hours after the government extended the two-day grace period. CE Greg Foran said he was “relieved” and “grateful” at the decision, which means the airline will operate seven services from the resort town. It comes as New Zealand on Thursday reported another 11 cases of the Delta variant, taking the total outbreak to 21. The whole country is currently in a three-day lockdown, with Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula facing restrictions for a week. “Yesterday we added four additional services out of Queenstown for today, and they sold out within minutes,” said Foran. “Queenstown is a popular holiday destination, so it’s no surprise to us that it’s where the pressure is coming from. We estimate there are somewhere around 600 people requiring flights, so we are confident that the additional 700 seats tomorrow will ensure that there are options for those that need it. As always, we will continue to monitor the demand and adjust as needed”. The airline also announced details of its new lockdown schedule, which will only enable domestic travel for essential reasons and require proof of the reason for travel.<br/>