COVID: Mineta San Jose Airport Begins Offering Preflight Virus Testing
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) – Mineta San Jose International Airport announced Friday that they are now offering preflight COVID-19 testing ahead of the upcoming holidays.
Airport officials said the traveler testing program is being offered by appointment daily from 7:30 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. As of Friday, the program is only for travelers on Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines, but the program will be expanded to all travelers as of next week.
"While we look forward to the return of the record-breaking traffic we experienced just last year, we are committed to getting there safely. Our promise is to continue working hard to maintain a safe and sanitized environment for those utilizing our facilities," said John Aitken, the airport's Director of Aviation.
Two providers, Carbon Health and WorkSite Labs, are offering testing, which is performed at a drive-thru testing site located at the airport's Taxi Staging Area on 2470 Airport Boulevard.
Carbon Health is providing testing to Alaska passengers and to all travelers effective next week, with the cost at $170. Meanwhile, WorkSite Labs is testing exclusively Hawaiian passengers who have set appointments through the airline's website, with the price per test at $90. Both testing providers are complying with the State of Hawaii's program allowing for travelers to bypass quarantine with a negative test taken within 72 hours before departure.
Preflight testing is also being offered at San Francisco International Airport and Oakland International Airport.
While testing is being offered, airport officials noted travelers flying into San Jose and remaining in Santa Clara County overnight are mandated to quarantine for 10 days, as the region continues to face a surge of COVID-19 cases.