United Airlines is now the first American airline to offer passengers access to the airport coronavirus test. The launch is a simplified way for passengers to book a ticket, schedule a test and upload the results to the company’s app, in what travel experts say is the “new normal” of travel.
Almost a year after the pandemic began, people around the world are still confused about how to follow a patchwork of COVID-19 travel guidelines and protocols.
“I was thinking all the time while coming here, waiting for my COVID test to arrive,” traveler Noah Johnston told CBS News Errol Barnett. “This adds another layer to the trip that, under normal circumstances, you don’t have to worry about.”
United Airlines’ “Travel Ready Center” aims to correct the problem.
The digital platform allows passengers to do everything from checking the COVID-19 requirements to scheduling a test at the terminal. While before a traveler was stuck hopping from page to page on various government websites, United’s new app ensures that relevant information is attached directly to your ticket based on where you are going.
“Based on the ticket you purchased, tailored for you, so you know everything you need, especially as all types of COVID scenarios are changing,” said Michelle Brown, president of digital products at United Airlines.
CBS News took a first-hand look at the testing process at the XpresCheck at Newark Liberty International Airport – owned by the Xpres Spa Group, a company that previously focused primarily on airport spas – where the company’s new pop-up site United opens Monday.
XpresCheck CEO Doug Satzman said his company was uniquely positioned to offer COVID19 testing within the terminal, having shifted from manicure and massage to medical testing.
“Our spa business closed at the end of March,” said Satzman. “So here we have three zones – we have check-in, we have test rooms and a full-service lab.”
He noted that the update is unlikely to be removed anytime soon.
“Since 9/11 changed air safety forever, we are still taking off our shoes,” he said. “COVID is also going to change the security protocol at airports for a long time.”
Once tested, passengers upload the results to their booking profile.
“Airlines are investing in testing because they know it’s a good deal,” said Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and president of the Atmosphere Research Group, adding that the change came out of necessity.
He continued: “Some countries or destinations want you to have a PCR test. Others will do an antigen test. So it’s very confusing. “
Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, noted that while the process is more straightforward and may be the future of the flight, a negative rapid test result does not guarantee safety.
“It is not perfect, but it is another layer that could be introduced to help reduce the risk,” he explained
Since the app’s launch three weeks ago, United says it has seen hundreds of thousands of customers submit their COVID-19 test results before boarding their flights.
In addition to the rapid tests, the “Travel Ready Center” also offers PCR or antigen tests. The centers are available so far at Newark, San Francisco and LAX airports, with expansion plans.