Austrian Airlines to trial mandatory COVID-19 antigen testing in mid Nov-2020

Austrian Airlines announced (05-Nov-2020) plans to launch a further trial phase for COVID-19 antigen screening on services from between Vienna and Hamburg from 12-Nov-2020. Previously, the airline conducted antigen testing on a voluntary basis. The new trial aims to integrate COVID-19 rapid antigen tests into the travel chain. Tests will be obligatory for passengers and crew on selected services to ensure that all travellers onboard have tested negative for COVID-19. "Our objective is to make quarantine regulations obsolete in the future on the basis of a sophisticated testing strategy. Mandatory tests are a further step on this path", Austrian COO Jens Ritter commented. [more - original PR]