Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, announced May 9 that its member carriers are supporting the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to begin checking the temperature of the traveling public and customer-facing employees as long as necessary during the COVID-19 public health crisis.
Temperature checks are one of several public health measures recommended by the CDC amid the COVID-19 pandemic and will add an extra layer of protection for passengers as well as airline and airport employees. Temperature checks also will provide additional public confidence that is critical to relaunching air travel and our nation’s economy. As all screening processes for the traveling public are the responsibility of the U.S. government, having temperature checks performed by the TSA will ensure that procedures are standardized, providing consistency across airports so that travelers can plan appropriately.
Airlines for America (A4A) members are Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Atlas Air, Delta Air Lines, FedEx, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and UPS. Air Canada is an associate member.
Since the onset of COVID-19, U.S. airlines have been working to protect passengers and employees. A4A’s carrier members voluntarily announced that they are requiring customer-facing employees and passengers wear a cloth face covering over their nose and mouth throughout the journey — during check-in, boarding, in flight and deplaning.
A4A’s member carriers all meet or exceed CDC guidance and have implemented intensive cleaning protocols, in some cases to include electrostatic cleaning and fogging procedures. Carriers are working around the clock to sanitize cockpits, cabins and key touchpoints – like tray tables, arm rests, seatbelts, buttons, vents, handles and lavatories – with CDC-approved disinfectants. Additionally, A4A carriers have aircraft equipped with HEPA filters and have implemented a range of policies – such as back-to-front boarding and adjusting food and beverage services to reduce interaction. More details are available here.
For more on how U.S. airlines are responding to COVID-19, please visit www.AirlinesTakeAction.com.
