Airlines for America (A4A) announced over the weekend 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 (coronavirus) public health crisis.
Temperature checks are one of several public health measures recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) amid the COVID-19 pandemic and will add “an extra layer of protection” for passengers and airline and airport employees. Temperature checks, according to A4A, should also provide additional public confidence that is critical to relaunching air travel and the U.S.’ economy. A4A adds that, 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.
Last week, 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. 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.
Airlines for America (A4A) members are Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Atlas Air, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. Air Canada is an associate member.
For more on how U.S. airlines are responding to COVID-19, visit www.airlinestakeaction.com.
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