Sandals Commends American Airlines on Preflight Testing

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Antigua News Room

The move by American Airlines to introduce preflight testing for passengers travelling to Jamaica, the Bahamas and eventually the rest of CARICOM is a game-changer and can provide a major boost to help revive the region’s travel and tourism sector. This bold new move will significantly cut down the wait time for persons who require a negative COVID-19 test, and represents a huge leap forward in restoring travel to the region.

American Airlines will launch initial testing at the Miami International Airport for Jamaican residents travelling to their home country, and once this is successful it will be available to all passengers traveling to Jamaica including U.S. citizens.

Chairman of Sandals Resorts International the Hon. Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart has commended American Airlines on its leadership and innovation at this critical time, stating that the preflight testing will address one of the major impediments to travel at the moment.

“We live in a changing world and as we take steps to protect people’s lives, we also need to find solutions that will protect their livelihoods, The long wait times for tests continue to be a disincentive to travel therefore we are very excited that American Airlines will be introducing preflight testing which offers hope for many countries dependent on travel and tourism. It is encouraging to see them being able to embrace science and technology in order to provide solutions in this new normal. We look forward to the successful implementation of this protocol not just for Jamaica but for the entire Caribbean.”

Jamaican Ambassador to the United States Audrey Marks along with Minister of Tourism and Aviation for the Bahamas Dionisio D’Aguilar have both hailed the move, which Ambassador Marks feels has significant implications not just for tourism, but also for other key sectors of the economy that have been negatively impacted by the ongoing pandemic.

Chairman of CARICOM Dr. Ralph Gonzalves, the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines agrees, ‘We are pleased that American Airlines has taken the lead to initiate this exciting COVID-19 pre-departure testing programme. The Caribbean Community welcomes this important progress to reopen markets with the health and safety of our citizens being of paramount importance, and we’ll be monitoring this programme very closely as it ramps up in our region.”

President of American Airlines Robert Isom has said AA remains committed to tackling the challenge and reimagining how it delivers a safe and healthy travel experience for its customers.

“Our plan for this initial phase of preflight testing reflects the ingenuity and care our team is putting into rebuilding confidence in air travel, and we view this as an important step in our work to accelerate an eventual recovery of demand.”

Mr. Gary Sadler, Senior Vice President of Sales for Unique Vacations, the Worldwide Representative for Sandals and Beaches Resorts, said the move by American Airlines is a bold one in the current environment, and provides a great level of confidence for persons wanting to travel, particularly from North America.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. To the Government if Antigua, I’m asking for a friend.

    What is the plan to move forward !?! Covid isn’t going anywhere on any particular day!?! So do we keep looking for ways to keep the people locked up? If so, until when…. any particular day in sight !?! Because the numbers have been down to zero for many weeks then increased, then decreased, that’s just how it is and will be, because covid is here… not leaving… it’s something our world now has..: so HOW DO WE DEAL!?! Cause we can’t stay locked up forever… people will all start traveling and life will go on !?!

    Will we continue To have people quarantined for 14 days… many countries have done away with this now that they are understanding covid.

    Many countries have found safe ways to continue daily existence when In Antigua the banks, the financial backbone of our country, still do not have regular hours.

    It seems like most of our resources are going into scaring the public, forcing the public into submission, threatening with fines and jail time just for simply their human existence.

    Maybe Antigua leaders should themselves, find a source of education concerning the transmission of the covid 19 virus, the potency of the virus today, things to do once the virus is contracted, BecUse the fact is, IT IS A VIRUS. You can get it, survive and move on.

    Once the leaders have this education, then maybe they can have zoom constituency meetings or physical constituency meetings over a few nights to educate the public. Following protocols of course.

    This is just a thought. Since it seems like the leaders of the country are stuck back in March 2020, when so much progress has been made in studying the virus and how people can CONTINUE TO LIVE A HEALTHY AND SAFE NEW NORMAL LIFESTYLE.

    Please let the people Of Antigua live A healthy and safe new normal life style void of the constant hysterics, fear, dictatorship behavior and threats being spewed every week by the government to lock up and fine people who are already under employed.

    Antigua’s government insist on driving the fear of God into its citizens by threatening and keeping them isolated from normal life every week.

    We already have God! What we need is efficient governance.

    …. just asking for a friend … smh

  2. LMAO!!! Everytime I see Butch, I will forver recall how Lovell allowed Butch to hoodwink him into holding on to our ABST monies. Now it’s the same Lovell who is desperately pleading with the people to let him govern the affairs of our fair country. LMAO!!!! Weak, spinless, backbone-deficient Harold Lovell. Well sah. nah kill me dis good rainy day.

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