The CEO of Delta Air Lines on Tuesday criticized the Biden administration for considering a proposal to request a negative coronavirus test for all domestic passengers, calling it a “horrible idea” that would fail to keep passengers safe and sound. to paralyze an industry already in difficulty.
“It will not keep internal flyers safer,” CEO Ed Bastian told CNN Business, saying the planes have high-quality air filters that constantly refresh the air every few minutes to reduce the chances of transmitting the virus.
“Domestic travel in the air transport system is the safest form of transport. I think we all know that. Spreading incidents on board any of our aircraft are absolutely minimal. In fact, very, very few cases are documented globally, not just domestically, ”he said.
Bastian went on to say that an operation that requires vaccinations will attract the necessary resources to test the sick.
“I think it would be a logistical nightmare and establish transportation, not just the transportation and travel industry, but the entire hospitality sector, the hotels, would probably get us back at least another year in recovery,” he said. said.
“I think it would be a horrible idea for several reasons,” Bastian said. “We ship, as an American industry, an average of over a million people a day, and that number is starting to rise again, which we like to see.”
He said the requirement will discourage people from traveling again and will have long-term consequences.
“If there is anything, it will keep people away from what they have to do, which is … starting to come out again … for travel that is not only essential. But people need to start claiming their lives. And taking the test resources from those really in need, I think it would be a terrible decision, “he said.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention require negative COVID-19 tests for international travelers coming to the United States, but it has not yet expanded domestically.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the CDC, was asked about the comments of Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg, according to which the government intends to request internal tests as in the case of international travel.
“First of all, I would really encourage people not to travel, but if we travel, it would be yet another mitigation measure to try to reduce the spread,” she said at Monday’s coronavirus briefing, but did not enter. in details.
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization, approximately 1.8 billion passengers took flight in 2020, compared to 4.5 billion in 2019, representing a loss of $ 370 billion for the airline industry.