US airlines support implementation of voluntary contact tracing scheme

US-based trade organisation Airlines for America (A4A) has revealed that its members have decided to support the implementation of a voluntary international contact tracing programme amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Members of A4A include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines.

Member airlines have pledged to collect contact tracing data of passengers travelling into the US.

These data will be transmitted to the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) to further secure public travelling.

Airlines will be providing the CDC with the legal name, two phone numbers, email address, and the address of where travellers would be staying in the US or their permanent residence in the US.

A4A president and CEO Nicholas E Calio said: “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 travelling public that both US airlines and the federal government are prioritising the health and safety of passengers and crew.

“We are hopeful that this measure, coupled with existing testing requirements for passengers flying to the US, will lead policymakers to lift travel restrictions so that international travel can resume and the social and economic benefits of that travel can be realised.”

The announcement comes after CDC has required proof of a negative Covid-19 test or recovery from Covid-19 for all air passengers arriving in the US.

Earlier this month, the Canadian Government announced additional measures on international travel to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 and new variants of the virus into the country.