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ADM Aéroports de Montréal and Biron Health Group Inc. are launching a pilot project to test a new rapid screening process for COVID-19 on departures from YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport to destinations requiring a negative result medical certificate for admission to their territory. These antigenic tests will make it possible to perform certified and rapid tests within 15 minutes.
This new service will initially be offered by reservation to travellers whose final destination is metropolitan France and who are taking a flight served by Air Canada, the initial partner of the project, Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines or Air Transat. Other destinations could be added to the pilot project. The screening will be carried out by Biron professionals in an area set aside for this purpose on the departures level of the airport terminal.
“The measures deployed as part of the Travel with Confidence program at YUL, such as taking temperatures and setting up health checkpoints at the three entrances to our terminal, have already proven to be effective. However, it is essential that further initiatives are put forward by airports, airlines and public health teams to ensure that travel is resumed. The pilot screening test project improves the procedures already in place and represents a decisive step in ensuring the safest possible travel for passengers. The industry must be innovative and adapt to a new reality, and ADM is proud to be contributing to this effort together with its partners, ” said Philippe Rainville, president and CEO of ADM Aéroports de Montréal.
“We are very pleased to be working with Aéroports de Montréal and Biron on this new initiative which will allow our customers flying to France to travel with confidence and peace of mind. Among all the measures based on a scientific approach put forward by Air Canada in recent months, the screening test at the airport is by far the most important. Rapid screening is an effective and responsible alternative that facilitates the safe relaxation of global travel restrictions and quarantine measures, while protecting the health and safety of the travelling public,” said Dr. Jim Chung, chief medical officer of Air Canada.
This initiative is part of a number of pilot projects already underway in the country, including the one conducted by Alberta and federal public health agencies at Calgary’s airport designed to reduce the 14-day quarantine period imposed on travellers entering Canada. ADM is in discussions to eventually offer the same type of tests to arriving passengers.
The ADM and Biron Health Group Inc. pilot project is consistent with the recommendations of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and respects the guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on the implementation of robust screening measures aimed at allowing for a safe recovery of the airline industry, without compromising the public health efforts made to date.
“The pandemic has had unprecedented impacts on our lives, the Québec economy, and even the entire world. While it is essential to maintain and focus on the public health efforts made to control the pandemic, it is also important to pay attention to the recovery of our economy at the same time. We are proud to be collaborating in this pilot project and to support our partners in the revival of airport activities and air transport by leveraging our laboratory expertise and the medical and scientific know-how of our professionals,” said Geneviève Biron, president and CEO of Biron Health Group Inc.
In summary
- The pilot project will start on December 15 and will last for an initial period of eight weeks;
- The test using a nasal swab will be minimally intrusive and offered at a cost of $149;
- The antigenic test used by Biron is approved by Health Canada and recognized in France;
- Tests are available by reservation only. Only passengers authorized to travel to France will be able to book an appointment;
- Passengers authorized to travel to metropolitan France also have the option of going to a Biron service point, or to call the laboratory of their choice within 72 hours prior to their departure to obtain their negative screening certificate via a standard test (PCR) or will be required to be tested upon arrival in France at the airport;
- All passengers participating in the pilot project will nevertheless need to continue to observe the mandatory quarantine period upon their return to Canada;
- It is recommended that passengers check the travel restrictions in effect in their destination country. For more details on the terms and conditions of the project: https://yulsatisfaction.admtl.com/hc/en-ca/
“We are very proud of our collaboration with Aéroports de Montréal and Biron Health Group, which will help facilitate travel preparations for our customers able to fly to mainland France, whose entry requirements now include the presentation of a negative test result. At Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, we value and care about the health, wellbeing and travel experience of our customers. We proactively entered into an agreement with Biron Health Group early on so that travelers could obtain their test results quickly to meet the requirements of their destination country. This new initiative offered right at the airport in Montreal is in line with our efforts to ensure travel in all serenity,” said Catherine Guillemart-Dias, VP and GM of Air France KLM Canada
“Since Montreal is our largest hub, it was only natural for us to participate in this pilot project and we are delighted to be able to offer this simple alternative to our customers who are travelling to France in greater numbers as the holiday season approaches. We warmly applaud this initiative, which supports our joint efforts to boost tourism by enabling us to develop effective and safe solutions that we hope will help ease the travel restrictions currently in place,” said Annick Guérard, COO of Transat.
