Air Canada is now offering Canadian travellers the ability to pack a self-administered COVID test that meets the requirements to return home.
The airline announced the introduction of new testing products, including portable self-administered COVID-19 molecular and antigen test kits, through a partnership with Canadian-based healthcare company Switch Health.
Using the Switch Health COVID-19 RT-LAMP Kit, customers can test themselves while travelling abroad prior to their flight to Canada to meet entry requirements without the need to visit a foreign COVID-19 testing clinic.
Tests are conducted under the remote supervision of a Telehealth professional from Switch Health and include an electronic report suitable for travel. Pricing for the portable RT-LAMP test kit start at $149 plus applicable taxes and results are available in as little as 45 minutes. Portable antigen tests start at $79 for a package of two.
While many travel advisors and potential travellers are hoping that Canada will follow the lead of the U.S. and other countries and allow the less expensive and faster rapid antigen tests, Air Canada says its new option adds convenience and certainty under existing regulations.
"These solutions are designed to ease the travel experience until the mandatory pre-departure test requirement evolves for fully vaccinated travellers," the airline says in a statement.
"The government's COVID-19 Testing and Screening Expert Advisory Panel recommends the removal of pre-departure testing for fully vaccinated travellers, acknowledging that testing at both departure and arrival is excessive."
Mark Nasr, AC's SVP, Products Marketing & eCommerce, says self-testing offers several benefits.
"Together with Switch Health, we are pleased to offer our customers the most comprehensive range of travel testing options that will make travelling abroad easier and more predictable. Switch Health also seamlessly integrates into Air Canada's digital tool allowing customers to securely submit their COVID-19 test results and records of vaccination, further simplifying the travel experience."
Limited quantities of the self-tests are available now, and Aeroplan Members get preferred pricing. Members also earn 1,000 Aeroplan points on RT-PCR tests and 500 Aeroplan points on RT-LAMP test kits and antigen tests. Members can also redeem their Aeroplan points to cover the cost of the test kits.
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