British Airways, American offer free Covid tests to boost business travel

British Airways and American Airlines Group are offering free Covid-19 tests to corporate road warriors, to smooth the transition away from Zoom calls and back onto transatlantic jetliners. The offer, being made through American Express’ travel unit, applies to flights between the US and UK on the two airlines, who are allies on North Atlantic routes, starting in early 2022. Corporate customers booking premium seats will be eligible, according to a statement Wednesday. The idea is to make it easier for business travelers to hop on a plane, especially at short notice, according to Andrew Crawley, CCO at American Express Global Business Travel. “There’s incredible pent-up demand for business travel, but coordinating the logistics of testing can sometimes be a challenge,” he said. A recovery in business travel has lagged leisure business, even as restrictions start to recede -- starving major carriers like BA and American of crucial high-margin fares. A ban on European visitors to the US that was lifted earlier this month has helped stoke demand, but with many people still working from home at least part time, a full rebound to pre-pandemic levels is expected to take years. <br/>