The US American Delta Air Lines will also offer quarantine-free flights between New York-JFK and Milan-Malpensa from April 2, 2021. Such a program has already been started after Rome. In order for passengers to benefit from it, they must adhere precisely to the procedure.

"A year after air traffic plummeted to levels never seen in living memory, these COVID-tested, quarantine-free flights are a real step forward for the aviation industry," said Alain Bellemare, Delta's EVP and President - International. "We are gradually seeing more and more global vaccination programs, but until these become widespread, corridor flights like this one can help our customers and crew fly more safely."

The flights to Milan will initially be operated four times a week in April before being switched to daily operations from May 2nd. The route to Rome will be offered three times a week, increased to four times a week in May and a daily connection in June.

Delta's COVID-tested flights kicked off in December with the start of flights from Atlanta to Rome and Amsterdam in collaboration with their respective local partners Alitalia and KLM. The program provides customers with the peace of mind to fly more safely and is a clear path to support the global economic recovery as vaccination efforts against COVID-19 expand around the world.

Passengers must be tested negative three times

Customers traveling to Italy must be tested negative three times - two of them before departure. On arrival in Milan-Malpensa and Rome-Fiumicino, passengers are asked to go to the test facility in the airport terminal, where medical staff will perform a rapid antigen test. If this is negative, you do not need to be in quarantine. The current entry regulations for Italy normally provide for a 14-day quarantine.

To use Delta's COVID-tested flights from New York to Milan and New York to Rome, customers must be tested as follows:

• A COVID Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test done up to 72 hours before departure.
• A quick test performed at New York JFK Airport prior to boarding.
• A quick test on arrival in Milan-Malpensa or Rome-Fiumicino.

Customers are also required to provide information prior to entering the United States to support the CDC's contact tracing protocols. The COVID-checked flights will be operated until June 30, 2021.