As the demand and need for international travel continues to increase throughout the world, Lufthansa is heeding the call by introducing a new offer for transatlantic flights to the United States. Now, passengers leaving Germany and allowed to enter the United States, that have a Covid19 test conducted before departure with Lufthansa’s testing partner, Centogene, can receive their test results in the internationally recognized app, CommonPass.
The Centogene lab is conveniently located right in Frankfurt Airport. This applies to all Lufthansa flights from Frankfurt to the United States, as well as the corresponding feeder flights via Frankfurt from Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin and Düsseldorf.
With this important advancement, Lufthansa is yet again coming one-step closer in making international travel easier during these challenging times. In addition to the new digital certificate, the airline recommends that its guests continue to carry their original printed certificates with them when traveling until further notice.
Customers can conveniently download the app from the Android or IOS App Store and then upload their test results after receiving an access code from Lufthansa, via e-mail, 72 hours before their departure. The app then automatically compares the test certificates with the current entry restrictions of the destination country and creates a travel certificate on this basis, provided it is a valid test document for the destination. The certificate only displays the relevant information, such as the test result, the test method, validity period and an hour counter since the time of testing, and thus does not reveal any other personal health information.
Lufthansa passengers who use the CommonPass app before their flights to the U.S. receive complimentary access to the Senator Lounge at Frankfurt Airport between 8 a.m. and 12:45 p.m., local time, in the morning.
Furthermore, CommonPass is not solely for boarding at the airport, but also takes a cross-industry approach. In the near future, the added value for travelers will be further enhanced in that other establishments, such as concert halls or cinemas, will be able to integrate the test results for entry into the establishment.
Pre-check of digital test certificates
Since February, Lufthansa travelers have had the option, 72 hours before departure on certain flights, to send their Covid-19 test certificates and confirmations of digital entry applications to a specially set-up Lufthansa Group Health Entry Support Center via a contact form. Passengers booked on these particular flights receive an advance notification and link to a portal where the relevant contact details and certificates can be stored. The documents are checked at the service center. After the check, travelers receive an email either confirming that the certificates meet the entry requirements or feedback if the supporting documents are not sufficient. Regardless, the original certificates must continue to be carried throughout the trip as they provide additional security and aid in speeding up the check-in and boarding process.
Lufthansa hygiene concept
On Lufthansa Group flights to and from Germany, passengers are required to wear a protective medical mask— either a surgical mask or an FFP2 mask, or mask with the KN95/N95 standard, during boarding, the flight and when leaving the aircraft.
An exemption from the obligation to wear a mouth-nose mask during the flight is only possible for medical reasons, if the medical certificate is issued on a form provided by Lufthansa Group and a negative Covid19 test, not older than 48 hours at the scheduled start of the journey, is available.
As studies and reports have indicated, infection on board is highly unlikely. All Lufthansa Group aircraft are equipped with the highest quality air filters, which ensure an air quality similar to that in an operating room. In addition, the air circulates vertically instead of dispersed throughout the cabin.