Alitalia to run Covid-tested Rome-New York flights from Dec 8

Alitalia will offer Covid-tested flights between Rome and New York from Dec 8, the airline and the company running Rome's Fiumicino airport said Friday. The announcement follows a health ministry order issued late last month and in force until Feb 15 under which passengers flying between Rome and some US destinations either produce a valid negative Covid test - conducted within the last 48 hours - when arriving at the airport or are tested before boarding. On arrival in Italy, passengers undergo another coronavirus test, which, if negative, exempts them from the 14-day quarantine Italy imposes on incoming travellers. The quarantine exemption only applies to Italy, while restrictions on entry into the USprovided for by the US government remain in place. In September, in an effort to resume domestic travel after the first wave of the epidemic, Alitalia experimented with Covid testing on some flights between Rome's Fiumicino and Milan's city airport Linate, Italy's biggest hubs. However, the government progressively restricted movement between regions to tackle a second wave of infections.<br/>