This archive report was first published on 10 May 2020.
On May 9, 2020, Airlines for America, a major US airline trade group, announced its support for temperature checks for passengers and customer-facing employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The group, which represents major US airlines such as American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines, stated that the checks will provide an additional layer of protection for passengers and airline employees, as well as boost public confidence in air travel.
According to a US official, no decision has been made on whether to mandate the checks, but the issue is being discussed extensively among government agencies and with US airlines. A decision could potentially be made as early as next week.
One possible approach would be to implement a pilot project or begin temperature checks at the largest US airports. However, questions remain about what the government would do if someone had a high temperature and was turned away from a flight.
US officials have stated that temperature checks would not eliminate the risk of COVID-19 cases but could act as a deterrent to prevent people who are not feeling well from traveling.
Frontier Airlines was the first major US airline to implement temperature screenings for all passengers and crew members, starting on June 1. The airline will bar anyone with a temperature at or exceeding 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 C).
The move comes amid signs of a modest travel rebound from historic lows. On May 8, 2020, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened 215,444 people at airport checkpoints, the first time the number topped 200,000 since March 26.
