The industry trade organization Airlines for America (A4A) said its member passenger carriers are supporting the implementation of a voluntary international contact tracing program.
“The implementation of a contact tracing program for international passengers is yet another measure in our multi-layered approach to mitigate risk and assure the traveling public that both U.S. airlines and the federal government are prioritizing the health and safety of passengers and crew,” Airlines for America President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio said. “We are hopeful that this measure, coupled with existing testing requirements for passengers flying to the U.S., will lead policymakers to lift travel restrictions so that international travel can resume and the social and economic benefits of that travel can be realized.”
Per A4A, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines have committed to collecting contact tracing data from passengers traveling into the United States and transmitting the data to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a means of providing an additional layer of traveling public protection.
Officials indicated the passenger carriers have agreed to ask customers to voluntarily provide information to aid the CDC’s efforts aid local public health authorities, including legal name; two phone numbers; email address; and the address of where travelers will be staying in the United States or the address of permanent residence in the United States.