United Airlines needs a negative coronavirus test for flights from London to the US.

by

(CNN) – United Airlines became the fourth major airline with routes between London and the New York metropolitan area on Thursday to require passengers to demonstrate that they have recently been tested negative for the novel coronavirus.

Beginning December 28, passengers flying with United from London Heathrow Airport to the United States must provide proof of a negative coronavirus test or an antigen test within three days of departure, company officials said in a statement.

United’s policy applies to flights operating from Heathrow to Newark, New Jersey, as well as the company’s flights to Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, DC.

British Airways, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic announced similar requirements on Monday for flights from the United Kingdom to New York.

On Thursday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said his state would require United passengers to test negative for the virus within 72 hours of their flights from London to Newark.

“As we continue to experience a second wave of COVID-19 cases, it is critical that we take every precaution to reduce the likelihood of further transmission,” the release says in part, “the governor said.

United said the health and safety of its employees and passengers is its “top priority.”

The policy applies to people over the age of 5 who embark on their journey at Heathrow, which has a testing location in one of the terminals. Travelers should make an appointment to get tested, according to the Heathrow website.

Passengers transferring to a United flight from another country at London Heathrow are exempt from the policy, the airline said.

Non-US citizens or legal residents – with few exceptions – are not allowed to fly to the United States if they have been in the United Kingdom within the past 14 days, the State Department says.

United said passengers must already acknowledge that they have not been diagnosed with Covid-19 in the past 14 days and that they have no symptoms.

When checking in for the flight, the passenger acknowledged on the airline’s Ready-to-Fly checklist that he had not been diagnosed with Covid-19 and had no Covid-related symptoms, an airline spokeswoman said.

After receiving more information about the health of this passenger, “it is clear that he has falsely recognized this requirement,” said the spokeswoman.

CNN’s Chris Boyette and Sheena Jones contributed to this report.

.Source