Just a few drops of saliva and you'll have results in less than a minute: travellers tired of nasopharyngeal tests and the long wait for the results could find a less daunting solution to prove their negativity to Covid-19. British Airways is currently evaluating an alternative technology developed by Canary Global, the Pelican Covid-19 Ultra Rapid Covid-19 test, which combines the power of nano-sensors and digital detection technology. In practice, all users have to do is take a saliva sample in a disposable detection unit, shake it and insert it into the test device. a reusable digital player connected to a Blue-Tooth connected deviceand then wait for the results to appear on a mobile application.
With announced PCR-type precision - 98 % sensitivity and 100 % specificity - and optimised to detect variants, the test has recently been approved by both the UK MHRA and the European UnionWith CE marking, the American FDA is in turn studying it. At British Airways, the trial is initially being carried out on flight and cabin crew, in comparison with the results of conventional tests. However, if the evaluation proves conclusive, the airline could extend its application to routes where these tests meet the required specificity and sensitivity standards.
" As we begin to see the opening of travel, we remain committed to exploring easy, affordable test solutions to help our customers travel again, whether for business, to reunite with family and friends or to take a much-needed break abroad" said Sean Doyle, Chief Executive of British Airways. For his part, Raj Reddy, CEO of Canary and inventor of the technology, hopes to " that the Pelican test will soon be able to be used as a standard test for travellers and crews worldwide. "His company is also in talks with other players in the travel industry, whether in the air, hospitality or events sectors.
But this is not the only innovation planned by British Airways. For three months, the British airline will be testing a new technology designed to make passenger check-in more fluid. In this case, it's an intelligent queue designed by Qmatic, one of the world leaders in customer journey management. Already used to manage the flow of customers in the retail sector, healthcare organisations, BP petrol stations, Tate Modern and the Post Office in the UK, this technology could see new developments in the airline industry.
Passengers can test this solution, on an optional basis, on certain flights departing from Heathrow terminal 5. In practice, they receive an e-mail before their journey inviting them to book their personal check-in time. " This technology means that our customers can plan their departure knowing that they have a personalised check-in time" said Declan Pollard, British Airways' Head of Customer Experience at Heathrow. Once at the airport, the Qmatic system will then inform them when it's their turn to go to the dedicated counter. " The smart queuing solution will allow British Airways customers to join a virtual queue and see their position change in real time, all from their phone." said Mark Brackley, Managing Director of Jade Solutions, Qmatic's exclusive UK supplier.
