U.S. Airlines Satisfied With CDC’s Policy Change

With the COVID-19 vaccination program underway in the United States, health officials are starting to reverse guidelines for face masks for fully vaccinated passengers. Almost 10% of the population of the United States is now fully vaccinated. On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) relaxed its guidelines on face masks for these people. This is potentially good news for airlines and the airline industry.

Can fully vaccinated passengers no longer wear masks on flights?

In the short term, travelers shouldn’t expect immediate changes in US airline face coverage rules. Monday’s CDC updated public health guidelines for fully vaccinated people to relax the rules in three ways.

First, fully vaccinated people can visit other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physically distancing themselves. It won’t really work on a plane unless everyone else on that plane is fully immunized.

Second, fully vaccinated people can visit unvaccinated people in the same household who are at low risk of severe COVID-19 illness indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing.

Finally, fully vaccinated people may refrain from quarantine and testing after known exposure if they are asymptomatic.

Otherwise, the CDC says its business is business as usual when it comes to face masks. The CDC recommends that face masks remain on in public spaces. This includes airport terminals or when mixing with groups of unvaccinated people from multiple households – it looks a lot like the passenger cabin of your typical airplane.

The CDC continues to recommend in these environments, people continue to wear face masks, practice social distancing, and good hygiene practices.

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The upshot is that the new CDC guidelines won’t have much of an impact on face mask rules when taking a flight in the United States at this time. Under federal law, it is mandatory to wear a face mask on all domestic flights within the United States.

“Federal law requires all travelers to wear a face mask in the airport, including customer service counters, airport lounges, gateways and baggage claim, and on board throughout their flight. , “ says United Airlines. This is a message repeated across major US airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, and Southwest Airlines.

Nonetheless, industry group Airlines For America welcomes the updated CDC guidelines. While this will not immediately change the rules of member airlines, it is a trend in the right direction.

“Since the onset of this crisis, US airlines have relied on science to guide their decisions as they continually reassess and update their processes, procedures and protocols,An Airlines for American spokesperson told Simple Flying today.

“We continue to work with the CDC and other relevant authorities to ensure the implementation of travel policies and measures that prioritize the safety and well-being of all passengers and employees.”

CDC continues to urge people to avoid travel

The CDC continues to urge people to avoid travel and stay at home. The public health organization currently states;

“Masks are required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation to, within or outside the United States, and at U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and train stations.”

The CDC advises that public transportation environments such as airplanes can put a person at a higher risk of COVID-19. This is not a message that airlines and industry groups like Airlines for America will want to hear.

Airlines for America argues that the risk of recovering COVID-19 on a flight is very low. Despite the publicity surrounding the updated CDC guidelines, anyone about to board a plane in the United States will not see any change in the face mask rules.

What do you think? Should the CDC have gone further in its update and allowed fully vaccinated people not to wear face covers on planes? Post a comment and let us know.