New COVID-19 testing protocols in effect for international travelers

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Long TSA lines may greet holiday travelers at Fresno-Yosemite International.

Airport travel was up 15% in November from a year ago.

Many people learned for the first time about the new requirements for a COVID test within a day of your international flight.

"It complicates it a little bit because one day is not very long to be able to get the result," says LeeAnn Burch. "But that doesn't particularly bother me as long as they don't start requiring shots."

The change was made because of the rapidly spreading new COVID variant, Omicron.

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Two airlines handle international travel to and from Mexico at FYI.

Passengers flying into Fresno will need to find somewhere to receive a rapid test result the day before they board a plane.

"If a passenger has a flight coming up, they should do some research, check with their airline to find out what testing requirements are going to be in place for their travels, what type of test is accepted and where they can present that documentation," says FYI Spokesperson Vikki Calderon.

Calderon says it's important passengers traveling to foreign countries check with their airlines to make sure they're covered when it comes to long layovers and even flight delays.

"To find out what requirements are going to be needed for them to travel back into the US as well as a destination that they're flying to," she said. "So their destination might also have some specific requirements."

The CDC says the viral tests can be done at a lab, a testing site or even at home.