Virgin Atlantic Flights to USA Now Require a COVID Test
Virgin Atlantic flights to the US now require all passengers to take a COVID-19 test before they are allowed to board.
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo had previously requested the measure, for passengers flying into his state from Great Britain, to limit the spread of the new, more contagious “UK COVID” strain. Virgin Atlantic had agreed to the governor’s request, following similar announcements from both British Airways and Delta. Then, on December 25th 2020, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a requirement for all passengers flying to the USA from the UK to test negative for the virus before departure. Now, The Wall Street Journal reports that from January 26, 2021, all travellers, flying into the US from international destinations, will need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test before departure. WSJ says the announcement is imminent from CDC and claims to have received the information from unnamed sources.
Like the existing measures, in place for passengers heading to New York from the UK, it is likely that international travellers will need to ensure that they are tested 72 hours before departure.
Virgin Atlantic was the first UK airline to implement on-site rapid testing for their cabin crew and have already struck an agreement, with travel services company Collinson, to offer pre-departure testing on a number of their routes from Heathrow and Manchester airports. It has consistently been at the forefront of calls for a coordinated passenger testing approach to be taken, rather than border closures and quarantine rules, which have throttled demand for international air travel. Virgin Atlantic direct flights on transatlantic routes form a significant portion of the airline’s income, so it is undoubtedly relieved that the US has not yet completely banned flights from the UK, unlike several other countries. Virgin Atlantic direct flights from the UK serve ten destinations in the US: New York, Boston, Washington DC, Orlando, Miami, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Seattle, San Francisco and Las Vegas. However, the constantly changing nature of international travel restrictions at the moment means that the airline is urging passengers to check regular updates on their website before flying.
If Your Virgin Atlantic Flight is Cancelled
Passengers with a Virgin Atlantic flight booking will be notified if their flight is cancelled by the airline. In those circumstances, they will also be given the option to receive a refund or to rebook. If the airline cancels a Virgin Atlantic flight booking made as a reward flight, paid for with points or miles, you will receive a full refund of your Virgin Points/Flying Club Miles, fees and taxes. You can also change the date of a Flying Club reward flight without incurring any change fees. However, if you cancel a reward flight booking yourself, on a flight the airline is still operating, you will be refunded your Virgin Points/Flying Club Miles, taxes and surcharges but a £30/$50 cancellation fee will apply. Currently, the same rules apply to Flying Club redemptions made on partner airlines too.
Some Virgin Atlantic reservations can be amended online, but if they can’t, passengers will need to contact the airline directly by phone. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Reward Flight Finder members have reported long call waiting times. So it’s worth noting that Virgin Atlantic reservations can also be changed, in the UK, using the airline’s WhatsApp service on 0344 874 7747. US customers can text 97634 for assistance.
