American Airlines wants US to drop international flyer Covid test requirements

American Airlines has added its voice to the growing chorus of travel industry companies calling for an end of pre-departure Covid testing rules for arriving international travelers. “We believe the US can safely follow countries that … have moved away from pre-departure testing,” American Chief Government Affairs Officer Nate Gatten said during the airline’s Q1 earnings call Thursday. He did not offer a timeline for when the US CDC could drop the rule, though Wall Street analysts suggested a potential May date. The testing requirement is widely viewed as a deterrent to a full international recovery by airlines and others in the travel industry. As it stands, any international travelers must show proof of a negative Covid-19 test within a day of their departure for the US. Many other countries, including Canada and the UK, have dropped testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers. American views the removal of testing rules as key to “unlocking long-haul international demand,” according to its Q1 results presentation. Executives took a more nuanced view in their comments. “International is in a lot of different states of play right now,” American Chief Revenue Officer Vasu Raja said Thursday when asked about the impact of testing rules. Other issues include still continuing border restrictions in Asia, as well as a slower business travel recovery compared to the US domestic market.<br/>