(Bloomberg) -- British Airways and American Airlines Group Inc. are offering free Covid-19 tests to corporate road warriors, to smooth the transition away from Zoom calls and back onto transatlantic jetliners.
The offer, being made through American Express Co.'s travel unit, applies to flights between the U.S. and U.K. on the two airlines, who are allies on North Atlantic routes, starting in early 2022. Corporate customers booking premium seats will be eligible, according to a statement Wednesday.
The idea is to make it easier for business travelers to hop on a plane, especially at short notice, according to Andrew Crawley, chief commercial officer at American Express Global Business Travel. “There's incredible pent-up demand for business travel, but coordinating the logistics of testing can sometimes be a challenge,” he said in a statement.
A recovery in business travel has lagged leisure business, even as restrictions start to recede -- starving major carriers like BA and American of crucial high-margin fares. A ban on European visitors to the U.S. that was lifted earlier this month has helped stoke demand, but with many people still working from home at least part time, a full rebound to pre-pandemic levels is expected to take years.
Business Travel Seen in ‘Structural' Decline in Post-Covid Era
European travelers to the U.S. who are fully vaccinated require a mandatory Covid-19 test for entry. The U.K. and Europe have lifted testing requirements on arrivals who have taken a full dose, although U.K. still requires a test on the second day they're in the country.
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