Multiple airlines face new criticisms for allowing planes to board at full capacity during the coronavirus pandemic, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has weighed in on the issue.
What’s going on:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield said earlier this week that there was “substantial disappointment with American Airlines” about the decision to have full flights, according to CNBC.
- American Airlines said last Friday it would tell passengers when their flights are full, offering a chance to switch to a less-crowded flight through the end of September, according to CNBC.
- Anyone with a flight booked through Sept. 30 can still change their flight, too, according to CNBC.
Airlines defend decision
The Airlines for America defended the decision to have full-capacity flights, saying it’s impossible to have full social distancing on airplane. The group — which represents major U.S. airlines, including American Airlines — said flying is safer than other activities, according to The Hill.
A4A CEO Nicholas E. Calio said:
“You can’t social distance on an airplane. We believe there are safety measures in place on a multilevel basis that makes flying safe, in fact safer than many other activities.”
“We don’t fly people if we feel it is not safe to fly them,” Calio said. “We are taking extraordinary measures, working with public health officials and others to keep our passengers healthy.”
Airlines like Delta and Southwest warned passenger this week to wear masks on flights, hoping to crack down on people avoiding the health guidelines, as I wrote about for the Deseret News.
- Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said: “We take the requirement to wear a mask very seriously. Customers who choose not to comply with this or any other safety requirement risk losing their future flight privileges with Delta. So far, there have thankfully only been a handful of cases, but we have already banned some passengers from future travel on Delta for refusing to wear masks on board.”