Results from the study suggest travellers would be willing to pay and use this service to eliminate quarantine measures
An Oxford University trial conducted by American Airlines, British Airways and the Oneworld Alliance has found that a substantial Covid-19 testing programme could help safely reopen international travel.
Researchers from the institute studied the collected data from almost 600 travellers who took select flights from the US to Heathrow, to see how they evaluate risk and comply with the required health and safety regulations.
The tests ran from November 2020 to March of this year.
Passengers were required to take an initial PCR test 72 hours before departure, then the LAMP version upon arrival to Heathrow, followed by a third taken three to five days later.
In the first phase of the trial, 1% of customers who took the initial swab tested positive for the virus. Upon reaching the London hub, all travellers presented negative results and just 0.4% of those contracted the virus days later.
It was also found that 99.7% of all the participants were happy to comply with testing regulations as an alternative to quarantine measures.
Almost 70% of passengers said that they would take a test 72 hours prior to departure and upon arrival.
When asked about cost, 80% of those involved were willing to pay £35 for a testing service, with only 15% prepared to spend over £70.
In a collective statement, all three participating bodies said: “The Oxford study further reinforces that customers are willing to undergo Covid-19 testing as an alternative to quarantine. The trial findings underline the important role that testing can play in the safe reopening of international travel, including hugely significant routes between the US and UK.
“The affordability of testing is crucial for travellers, and we stand ready to partner with governments and the private sector to offer affordable testing options for our customers who would like or need to travel again.”
Oxford has stated that it believes the study fell in line with previous work conducted around the subject within the aviation industry.
The results are set to be shared with governments and stakeholders to help ease entry restrictions and allow for safe air travel to resume.
