Domestic testing mandate would be “devastating” to airline industry

Airline and labor leaders continue to oppose a federal mandate requiring COVID-19 testing for domestic flights, citing that such requirements would overburden testing capacity and unfairly impact the aviation industry, leading to additional furloughs. “This would be devastating to the airline industry, we cannot do cosmetic things that won’t actually contain, kill the virus and make sure that we are eradicating it,” said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants union. George Washington University health professor David Michaels stressed that airlines’ existing efforts to enhance ventilation and filtration and require masks are “very effective.” The suggestion of a domestic testing requirement for air travel has drawn bipartisan opposition. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., stated, “I question whether [testing] would be effective,” while Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., said such testing could “punish this industry and stop it at its most critical time” during a Feb. 4 transportation hearing.