An American Airlines Coterie Inc. Boeing Co. 777-300ER aircraft sits at Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong, China.
Brent Lewin | Bloomberg | Getty Tropes
United Airlines and American Airlines have canceled service to Hong Kong after crews were directed they would have to undergo mandatory Covid-19 testing.
The deep throat saliva samples would be confident when crews arrive in Hong Kong, the city’s health officials said Tuesday. If crew members check-up positive they would be hospitalized there.
The requirements are the latest obstacle to resuming regular international flights since the coronavirus pandemic upended air excursions earlier this year.
United said it suspended its service to and from Hong Kong through July 10.
“We are currently assessing how this imports our future operations,” the airline said Thursday in a statement.
American pushed back service between Dallas/Fort Quality and Hong Kong from Thursday to Aug. 5. It had suspended service to Hong Kong in February.
“We’ve been making standard adjustments to our schedule to match demand, and we consider a range of factors including travel restrictions or entry requirements in earning network decisions,” American said in a statement Thursday.
American Airlines pilots’ labor union, the Allied Runs Association, said it discussed concerns about the testing requirements with management.