Cloudy Skies Remain for Caribbean Airports

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The COVID-19 pandemic continues to upend an already tumultuous aviation industry as countries continue to battle second and even third waves of the virus. The United States now joins a lengthy list of countries that have implemented tighter restrictions to help curb the spread of the virus. Beginning January 26th, 2021, all international passengers must present a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure (exceptions being children under the age of two, airline crews, federal law enforcement agents and members of the military on active duty). For other frequently asked questions, please refer to the CDC’s website.

In addition to the mandatory testing, President Biden signed a plethora of executive orders on his first few days in office, several of which were aimed at helping to curb the spread of the virus. Some measures included reinstating restrictions on travel from most countries in Europe, the United Kingdom, Brazil and now includes South Africa as new strains of the virus have been found in these countries. Additionally, at a recent press conference, President Biden stated that in addition to the mandatory testing, all international passengers would have to quarantine on arrival in to the United States.

While the order doesn’t specify how the quarantine period would be enforced, industry experts expect that this will stifle international demand even further – another setback for the Caribbean, the most tourism dependent region in the world. With Americans typically representing the largest share of visitors to the region (due to America’s close proximity to the region) and with less persons likely to travel, it will serve as another blow to Caribbean airports who have seen massive decreases in passenger demand as most (if not all), are highly dependent on tourism.

“Testing can be used to safely resume travel without quarantines, which are difficult to enforce and often prove ineffective”

Airlines for America

While the Biden Administration is placing the necessary emphasis on the pandemic (especially when compared to the previous administration), airline groups and travel associations while supportive of increased testing prior to travel, voiced opposition to the mandatory quarantine measures. Airlines for America, a group representing the major US Airlines stated, “testing can be used to safely resume travel without quarantines, which are difficult to enforce and often prove ineffective.”

While it remains to be seen whether the mandatory quarantine period will be enacted, what is certain is that a shroud of uncertainty remains on the horizon as Governments around the world continue to combat this virus.

Editor’s Note: Information is changing on a daily basis and as such, continue to refer to the CDC, Airlines and other bodies for the latest information. We will continue to update this post as new information comes in.