Turkish-German airline pioneering new check-in COVID-19 test

With a groundbreaking new virus test available at check-in, with speedy results, Turkish-German joint venture SunExpress is looking to take the worry out of air travel in the age of coronavirus.

The company will be the first airline to offer free-of-charge, voluntary rapid antigen testing for flights from Germany to Turkey, SunExpress CEO Max Kownatzki told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive interview.

"On Dec. 8, we're rolling out antigen testing for flights from Dusseldorf to Antalya," the famed Turkish Riviera resort town, Kownatzki said.

The test yields results in around 15 minutes, which means it can be done by healthcare professionals at the airport, before departure.

Based on the experience of this first test phase in Dusseldorf, SunExpress is looking at potential integration of the rapid antigen testing into all flights from Germany to Turkey.

"We've started discussions and talks with other airports. And we're looking into potentially rolling this out to other airports and obviously also not only have it on Dusseldorf-Antalya, but also other destinations within Turkey," he explained.

Hygiene measures such as the compulsory use of masks at the airport and on board the plane will remain in force for all of the antigen-tested flights.

If the test result is positive, the company repeats the process free of charge despite the low risk (3%) of a false result, Kownatzki stressed.

"If the second result also shows positive, then the likelihood of being positive is really there, obviously, then you cannot board the flight,"Kownatzki said, adding the airline offers free rebooking on any other flights along the same route.

A positive rapid antigen test is classified as a suspected COVID-19 case, thus...