Air Canada Offering Comprehensive Self-Testing Option
Air Canada is introducing new testing products — including portable self-administered COVID-19 molecular and antigen test kits — through a partnership with 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 federal government testing entry requirements without the need to visit a foreign COVID-19 testing clinic. These tests are conducted under the remote supervision of a Telehealth professional from Switch Health and include an electronic report suitable for travel.
Mark Nasr, Senior vice-president, products marketing & eCommerce at Air Canada, said that: “Air Canada is a leader in adopting and implementing science-based safety measures to simplify our customers’ journey. 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.”
Dilian Stoyanov, chief executive officer at Switch Health, said that: “Offering these three-types of COVID-19 testing options will help get Canadians back to their favourite activities – like global air travel with Air Canada – safely, reliably and at their convenience.”
Testing for travel
Currently, the Canadian government requires customers flying to Canada to present a negative molecular test taken within 72 hours of their flight. Switch Health’s new portable self-administered test kit, officially called the Switch Health RT-LAMP Test Kit, can be taken by customers on their trips and used to satisfy this requirement without the need to visit a foreign testing facility.
Air Canada is Switch Health’s launch partner for these news tests, with limited quantities initially available for Aeroplan Members.
The RT-LAMP test is one of several ways Air Canada is offering practical solutions to ease customer experience and reduce the inconvenience related to the current pre-departure testing requirements.
Other COVID-19 testing options include convenient travel testing clinics, a self-administered RT-PCR collection kit and a portable self-administered antigen kit containing two tests which is accepted by many countries such as the United States.
These solutions are designed to ease the travel experience until the mandatory pre-departure test requirement evolves for fully vaccinated travellers.
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.
Preferred pricing for Aeroplan Members
Aeroplan Members have exclusive access to preferred pricing on all Switch Health testing products. Aeroplan preferred pricing for the portable antigen test kit start at $79 plus applicable taxes (one kit includes two tests), and the portable RT-LAMP test kit start at $149 plus applicable taxes. 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 through the Aeroplan eStore to cover the cost of the test kits. Not an Aeroplan Member? Anyone can join for free.
Customers can visit www.aircanada.com/switchhealth for all the details or order a test kit at www.switchhealth.ca/aeroplan or redeem at www.aircanada.com/estore.
