Does the CDC order apply to all international destinations? Rapid tests in Roatan, Honduras, for example, range $17 to $100 while PCR tests, which require an appointment, range from $225 to $347. Travelers should be prepared to pay for tests taken abroad. Some frequently asked questions about the CDC's new requirement: How much do the tests cost? Sun Country said it will ask passengers to do so at the ticket counter before boarding the plane. The CDC requires that passengers present their negative test result to the airline. "But I think by having the testing protocols in place, it then gives confidence to the regulatory authorities to start to lift the bans, which is why we endorse the testing strategy." "This is something that we - Delta - endorse, and I know our industry similarly endorses," he said. But it's going to create some short-term hiccups," Delta Chief Executive Ed Bastian told analysts Thursday. "I think it's absolutely the right thing to do for the long term for our industry. Paul International Airport, accounting for about 70% of passenger traffic - told analysts Thursday that it supports the CDC's testing requirement and is already seeing resorts at closer-in international destinations, like Mexico and the Caribbean, offer COVID testing as a part of their lodging package. Sun Country has put together a list of clinics, labs and hospitals at all of its Caribbean and Central and South American destinations where Americans can get tested.Įxecutives for Delta - the largest airline at Minneapolis-St. "Travelers have the option to visit testing sites, and some labs will even come to the individual's hotel and conduct the test right there on site," a Sun Country spokeswoman said. The airline confirmed that all of its destinations affected by the CDC's order have readily available and accessible testing sites, with results within one hour at some locations and up to 72 hours at others. "Our team has been working around the clock to ensure we're operationally prepared for passenger attestation and reporting, as well as making sure we're able to accommodate travelers who encounter any questions or testing issues along the way." Sun Country is committed to working with the CDC and our government partners to provide our guests the most up-to-date information," Greg Mays, chief operating officer, said in a statement. "As we all know, policies around COVID-19 continue to rapidly evolve. Sun Country flights to Mexico and the Caribbean are currently running about 40 to 50% capacity with the March spring-break season, its busiest travel time of the year, still ahead. While many of its customers head to Florida or other southern states, passengers flying to some of its most popular destinations, such as Cancun, Puerto Vallarta or Los Cabos, will need to present documented proof of a negative COVID test taken within three days of their return flight home. So did Minnesota-based Sun Country.īut the short-term stakes are higher for the scrappy Sun Country, whose bread-and-butter customer is the Midwestern leisure traveler seeking respite from winter's biting chill. Several of the major carriers, including Delta Air Lines, immediately offered customers the option to move up their international travel date to return before the new requirement becomes effective Jan. Testing is one of the best ways to help control the spread of COVID-19, the CDC said, which has tasked the airlines with being the nation's gatekeepers. In some countries, an individual test can cost more than $300. The requirement will complicate vacations for many international travelers - and add to the expense. in an effort to curb the arrival of new coronavirus variants spreading rapidly in the U.K., South Africa and increasingly around the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week mandated air travelers present proof of a negative COVID test to airlines before boarding all flights into the U.S. Sun Country Airlines, the small carrier that built a business on shuttling Minnesotans to balmy climates during the coldest months, is now scrambling to prepare for the federal reporting requirements and to help its customers find COVID testing sites in foreign countries. Minnesotans planning to take their winter getaway in Mexico or other warm-weather countries this year will soon need a negative COVID-19 test result before being allowed back into the U.S.
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