Passengers on Rome to New York flights must prove they are COVID free

Alitalia and Rome airport operator, Aeroporti di Roma (ADR), have announced that from Tuesday, all passengers travelling on one of the three weekly flights to and from New York must present a certification proving that they have tested negative for COVID-19, carried out 48 hours before the flight, or take the antigen test directly at the airport before boarding.

For those departing from the United States, upon arrival at Fiumicino airport, a new antigen test will be required; a second control check that will exempt passengers from needing to quarantine upon entering Italy.

For the COVID-tested flights, passengers will also be required to wear a protective face mask at all times and to be provided with an adequate number of replacements for the duration of the flight, so that they can be replaced every 4 hours.

Additionally, prior to boarding, a self-certification attesting that passengers have not had close contact with people affected by COVID-19 is required.

ADR and Italian national flag carrier, Alitalia, insist that their actions are “in response to the needs of passengers who, in a recent market survey, expressed growing interest in adopting these measures as flight hours increased”.

Furthermore, they reveal that an experimental phase will aim to evaluate the effectiveness and functionality of the new travel method, with the aim of making it more widely available in view of the next Summer 2021 season.