Finnair has partnered with a private healthcare company to offer discounted Covid-19 testing with results ready in 24 to 36 hours. Olivia Palamountain reports
Finnair has partnered with Finnish private healthcare service company Terveystalo to offer its passengers fast and easy access to pre-travel Covid-19 tests and minimised waiting times for results.
Launched on September 28, the service aims to give peace of mind to customers travelling to destinations that require a negative Covid-19 test result and a certificate from passengers arriving in their country.
Since different countries have varying requirements for coronavirus testing and related documents, Finnair said Terveystalo will “discuss these requirements with the customer, and the customer is provided an adequate test and a certificate that fulfils the destination country’s requirements valid at the time”.
Finnair customers benefit from a 10 per cent discount on Terveystalo’s normal PCR test price and the option to pay using loyalty points. Gold, Platinum and Platinum Lumo members of the Finnair Plus programme receive a 15 per cent discount.
Customers will be directed to the service via the Finnair website, where they will be able to choose the clinic nearest to them.In Helsinki, the result is ready in 24 hours from testing while elsewhere in Finland, in 36 hours on average. Customers receive their results with a short message, and the certificate is delivered electronically or in a print.
Finnair COO, Jaakko Schildt, says: “Safety and enabling smooth travelling are extremely important for us. Unfortunately, travellers face more and more requirements these days. Through our partnership with Terveystalo we want to make travelling easier for our customers to countries that require a coronavirus test certificate.”
Additionally, Finnair is now offering international passengers free worldwide cover for expenses related to Covid-19. In early October, the carrier said it had cut its schedule to around 75 flights a day, compared with a usual 350, due to softening demand. It’s hoped this initiative will strengthen customer confidence and encourage people to start flying again.But Finnair is not the only carrier to offer boosted insurance cover. On September 7, Abu Dhabi’s flag carrier Etihad also announced it was introducing Covid-19 global wellness insurance cover as part of Etihad Wellness, the airline’s new health and hygiene programme.
Virgin Atlantic, which recently published details of a financing package that goes some way to securing the airline’s future, has also introduced a free Covid-19 insurance from Allianz Assistance for all of passengers travelling up until March 31, 2021
Finnair Corona Cover applies to all departures, both new and existing, for travel between November 3, 2020, and March 31, 2021.
The insurance is included in the cost of tickets bought through Finnair sales channels – including finnair.com, the Finnair mobile app or via the airline’s customer service – for international travel originating from Finland.
It is valid in all foreign destinations, with no excess fees, and supplements a traveller’s own travel insurance.
The insurance covers the following expenses in the passenger’s destination:
- Covid-related medical expenses and medical repatriation up to €50,000, for example for a hospital stay or doctor visits
- The price of a Covid-19 test, if the result is positive
- Additional quarantine costs, resulting from falling ill with Covid-19, up to €100 for a maximum of 14 days, which could cover additional overnight accommodation
- A new return flight back to Finland, if the original flight is missed due to illness related to Covid-19.
Finnair vide-president of customer experience and products, Tiina Tissari, says: “It is important that Finnair customers feel they can travel safely as we recognise that travelling during the pandemic comes with new kinds of concerns and challenges.”