Milan Nanjing flight is covid free, Neos dreamliner took off from Malpensa today

The first direct international "Covid free" flight left Malpensa at 1:45 p.m. today. As the Neos 787 took off for Nanjing (Nanjing), the cabin crew and all passengers (who by Chinese rules must submit the results of a molecular test and serological test within 48 hours of departure) were subjected to a quick swab before boarding. Same procedure upon arrival in China, as per the agreement with the Chinese Consulate General and CAAC, the air transport authority of the Dragon Country.

For Armando Brunini, CEO of Sea, is "an important first step" toward resuming air traffic in time of Covid emergency. The hope is to find a form of coexistence between air travel and virus restrictions.

This flight, along with the green light arrived today for the opening of the air corridor between the U.S. and Italy, represents a sign of how the aviation world is trying to restart after a halt that wiped out companies and threw into crisis all those that, to date, have survived.

The initiative was possible thanks to the valuable collaboration with SEA, San Donato Group, ATS Insubria, and the Lombardy Region, whose contributions and authorizations were essential to the success of the program, which Will continue on a trial basis until January 31, 2021. "We are very pleased with this important milestone achieved thanks to the valuable synergy between all the actors involved," emphasizes Carlo Stradiotti, CEO of Neos Air. "In recent months, Neos has spent itself deeply for our country, carrying out humanitarian and repatriation flights. Now it is essential to establish a procedure that lays the foundations for a shared protocol, preparatory to the start of a path that leads, with due caution, to the restart of air transport and the tourism sector. We hope that this can be a first step in this direction."

And then the call for policy to move to make this kind of model systematic. "Pre-flight testing," adds Armando Brunini, Sea's CEO, "is a fundamental tool to sustain air traffic, especially intercontinental traffic, as long as it is necessary to live with the virus. Today's Neos flight is an important first result. Another key step will be the creation of interstate health corridors that ensure Covid-free flights and decrease the need for quarantine. This operation is more complex and unfeasible without the support of the relevant ministries, with whom we have already been in contact since September."

"Rapid antigenic testing," clarifies Alberto Nughedu, CEO of San Donato Group's Resnati Outpatient Clinics and Raf Points, "provides passengers with an almost immediate response. With this procedure we contribute to the tracking of infections and the control of the virus."

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