Airports And Covid: Checking Test Results?

As countries continue to ease travel restrictions, airports have implemented various measures to ensure the safety of passengers and staff. One of the most notable measures is the introduction of COVID-19 testing facilities at airports worldwide. While some airports offer rapid testing with results available in as little as 15 minutes, others provide standard testing with results within 24 hours. Additionally, certain airports have established testing sites in collaboration with external partners, such as the Italian Red Cross at Rome's Fiumicino Airport. These testing sites cater to both passengers and employees, with some accepting medical insurance to cover the costs. The availability of testing options at airports provides travellers with the convenience of last-minute testing before departure or upon arrival at their destination. However, it is important for travellers to stay updated with the specific testing requirements and protocols for their departure and arrival airports, as well as their travel destination.

COVID-19 testing at airports

Airports have been at the forefront of implementing measures to keep passengers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to increased sanitization, PPE vending machines, and face mask mandates, many airports now offer COVID-19 testing facilities. Testing facilities are often located in the terminal buildings, with some airports offering drive-through testing.

Testing Facilities at Departure Airports

Many airports have partnered with private companies to provide COVID-19 testing facilities for departing passengers. Some of these include:

• Athens International Airport: PCR testing centre for arriving and departing passengers. The test costs €60, with results available within 24 hours.
• Abu Dhabi International Airport: On-site RT-PCR testing lab, offering rapid tests to all passengers arriving at both terminals 1 and 3 and airport staff. The test is free for arriving passengers, with results available within 90 minutes.
• Belfast City Airport: Partnered with healthcare firm Randox to provide PCR and antigen (lateral flow) tests.
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai): Offering PCR testing for all international arriving passengers. The test costs £40, with results available within eight hours.
• Los Angeles International Airport: Onsite COVID-19 screening lab with three locations offering PCR tests. The test costs US$125, with results available within three to five hours or 24 hours depending on the location.
• Prague Airport: Testing points directly at the airport, where passengers can be tested for COVID-19 and obtain the required certificate upon returning to the Czech Republic or before their departure. The standard RT-PCR COVID-19 test from GHC Genetics costs CZK 1,750/EUR 65, with results available within 12 to 24 hours. An express test with results within two hours costs CZK 7,500/EUR 280.
• Luxembourg Airport: Offering free PCR or rapid antigen tests to all passengers.
• Zurich Airport: Pre-departure PCR testing facility using Enders Diagnostics' saliva tests. The test costs Sfr195 (approximately €180), with results available within five hours.

Testing Facilities at Arrival Airports

Some airports also have testing facilities for arriving passengers, either as a mandatory requirement or as a service for passengers who need to take a test upon arrival. Examples include:

• Toronto Pearson Airport: LifeLabs testing centre located at 6900 Airport Rd, Hall 3, Mississauga, Ontario (7:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m).
• Montreal Airport: Biron testing centre located in the Departures area (Gate 11) (5:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m).
• Vancouver Airport: LifeLabs testing centre located at 6084 Russ Baker Way, Richmond, British Columbia (7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. PDT).
• Singapore Changi Airport: Partnered with Raffles Medical Group to offer PCR testing for arrivals under the fast lane travel arrangement. The testing is mandatory and must be pre-booked, with results available within 48 hours.
• Tokyo Haneda Airport: On-site Toho University clinic provides PCR tests for overseas travellers. The test costs approximately £317, with results available within 24 hours.
• Paris Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly: Partnered with Cerballiance laboratory to set up COVID-19 testing centres offering PCR and antigen tests.

Testing for Travel

Many countries require a negative COVID-19 test for entry, and some airports offer testing facilities for passengers who need to take a test upon arrival. Additionally, some countries build COVID-19 testing fees into their entry requirements. It is important to check the specific requirements for your destination country before travelling.

Testing before check-in and baggage drop

At Newark Airport, for example, all employees and passengers can get tested for COVID-19 before check-in and baggage drop. The tests offered include a PCR molecular test and a COVID antibody test, with or without an appointment. The cost of testing at Newark Airport ranges from $75 for a COVID-19 test to $90 for COVID-19 and antibody testing. Medical insurance is also accepted as a form of payment. Results are typically delivered within two to five days, but faster results are often required for passengers who need negative test results to enter their destination country. As such, many testing facilities aim to deliver results in 15 minutes or less.

Similarly, Luxembourg Airport has been offering free tests to travellers since August, with the prerequisite that individuals must be residents of Luxembourg and have returned from a foreign country.

While testing before check-in and baggage drop can be a convenient option for travellers, it poses several challenges for airports. These include meeting the increased demand for testing, creating space for passengers to be tested, addressing scheduling conflicts, and managing staffing requirements and budgets.

To address these challenges, some airports are constructing rapid COVID-19 testing stations and creating space for passengers to be tested. Additionally, it is important for travellers to arrive at the airport well in advance of their departure to allow sufficient time for testing and check-in. For instance, Delta recommends arriving at the airport at least two hours before departure for domestic flights and 90-120 minutes before departure for international flights.

As the world continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, testing before check-in and baggage drop may become the new norm for air travel.

Testing for US-bound international flights

As of December 2021, the CDC requires that all US citizens or lawful permanent residents (over the age of 2) travelling back to the US from abroad provide a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 1 day of departure, regardless of vaccination status. This also applies to unvaccinated children over the age of 2 travelling with vaccinated adults. The only exceptions to this rule are if you have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days, if you are arriving via a land border, or if you are a flight crew member.

Tests must be viral tests that meet the requirements under the Order, and rapid tests are acceptable if they meet these criteria. The negative test result must be presented before boarding and some airlines may also require passengers to upload their results to a third-party app or the airline's website.

Some airlines and travel industry groups have been pushing for the removal of COVID testing requirements for vaccinated passengers before US-bound flights, arguing that the high prevalence of COVID in all 50 states, increased immunity, and higher vaccination rates mean that testing requirements are no longer necessary. However, the White House has not yet commented on these requests.

In addition to testing requirements, the US Department of Homeland Security is also implementing enhanced security measures at approximately 280 foreign airports with direct commercial flights to the US. These measures may result in a more extensive screening process for passengers and it is recommended that travellers arrive at the airport early to allow enough time.

Testing at non-US airports

Canada

As of 1 April 2022, fully vaccinated travellers entering Canada are no longer required to present a negative COVID-19 test result. However, travellers may still be selected to take a molecular screening test upon arrival at the airport. Testing is free of charge and can be done at the airport or at a nearby testing centre.

France

Since August 2020, France has been offering free COVID-19 tests to all passengers arriving from 16 "high-risk" countries, including the US, South Africa, Israel, Brazil, Serbia and Turkey. Tests are conducted at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly, Bordeaux and Lyon airports, with results emailed out within 48 hours. Passengers are advised to self-isolate until they receive their results.

Germany

In June 2020, Germany became one of the first countries to deploy airport testing, with Lufthansa offering PCR tests at Frankfurt Airport for €59-139. In July 2020, a walk-in test centre was also set up at Munich Airport. Since July 2020, the German government has offered free, voluntary COVID-19 tests to all arriving passengers, with plans to make testing compulsory for those coming from "high-risk" areas.

Iceland

Since June 2020, Iceland has offered arriving passengers the choice between taking a COVID-19 test upon arrival or quarantining for two weeks. Tests are conducted at Keflavik Airport, the country's largest transport hub, and cost 9,000 Icelandic Krona ($67) if paid in advance.

Russia

In July 2020, Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow launched "express" COVID-19 testing for domestic flight passengers, with results available in one hour for €32.55.

United Arab Emirates

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has partnered with the RDIF to pilot COVID-19 testing at one airport in the United Arab Emirates.

Japan

RDIF is also running a similar project at an airport in Japan.

Other countries

Many other countries are offering COVID-19 testing at their airports, including the UK, Luxembourg, Dubai, Istanbul, Hong Kong, and both of Tokyo's airports.

Testing at US airports

As of 2020, many US airports began offering SARS-CoV-2 testing to travellers, with nearly half of surveyed airports providing testing sites. This large-scale adoption of testing for a communicable disease is unprecedented and presents new challenges for travellers, airlines, airports, and public health authorities.

Testing Availability

A survey conducted by the CDC in November-December 2020 assessed the availability of testing for air travellers, flight crew, and airport employees at 100 US airports. Of the 77 airports that provided information, 38 (49%) had a testing site, with several more (7 or 9%) planning to offer one. Most sites began testing in the fall of 2020, with the most frequently offered tests being RT-PCR or other NAAT tests.

Testing Providers

The survey also found that most testing providers at these airports were private companies or universities (84%), with some sites run by health departments (14%) or the US military (3%).

Testing Locations

Testing locations varied, with 18 (56%) located outside the secure area and 12 (38%) inside the secure area. Five airports had multiple testing sites, including two (6%) with sites both inside and outside the secure area.

Examples of Testing at US Airports

Denver International Airport

Denver International Airport offered voluntary SARS-CoV-2 testing, with 54 positive results out of 5724 tests conducted from December 21, 2020, to March 31, 2021. The Denver Health Department issued an order requiring the testing site to report cases immediately and notify airlines to cancel upcoming flights for infected travellers and their close contacts.

Newark Airport

Newark Airport offers all employees and passengers the option of a PCR molecular test or a COVID antibody test, with or without an appointment. The cost ranges from $75 for a COVID-19 test to $90 for COVID-19 plus an antibody test, and medical insurance is accepted. Results are delivered within two to five days, but the goal is to deliver results in 15 minutes or less for ticketed passengers who need faster results to meet travel requirements.

Future of Airport Testing

The availability of airport-based testing has likely increased as more countries, including the US, began enforcing testing requirements. Testing at airports will likely become more common as travel demand returns and test requirements for travel evolve. CDC modelling indicates that testing closer to the time of travel provides the greatest reduction in transmission risk, but they recommend travellers obtain testing before arriving at the airport to avoid last-minute cancellations and the challenges of managing infected travellers in a crowded airport environment.

Frequently asked questions