US airlines have been strongly opposed to testing mandates for domestic travel. Although nothing has become concrete yet, and neither the White House nor the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have issued a plan to require passengers to undergo a test for travel, airlines are already expressing their displeasure.
US airlines do not support domestic tests
This week it was revealed that the Biden administration is investigating the possibility of conducting domestic tests for air travel. The extent to which officials support and plan to put the idea in place is unclear. However, the discussions appear to be limited within the administration and do not include professionals in the industry. This week, airlines took a stand against it.
Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said the following during his fourth quarter earnings call against local testing:
“I do not know that the CDC has reached us. I also do not know that they reached the Airlines for America. But yeah, I think that would be a mistake. It is very expensive. As Tammy noted in an earlier interview to administer the test, we do not have sufficient test capacity for the country in the first place. Where we have to focus on the two vaccinations that are available, and that it is being rolled out and the country is being vaccinated, and I would hate it to take us off the ball. ‘
JetBlue chief operating officer Joanna Geraghty said the following in her company’s earnings call:
‘On the domestic front, it’s hard to see something like this working that works on that scale. Air travel is just one way of traveling. You obviously have rail, road transport, people have to travel, they will find a way to get there. They will figure out a way to see Mom, Dad and to be honest putting this burden on air travel is in our opinion completely cumbersome. I’m worried about just the test capability in the United States, I think, and bother a little bit about what you say about Puerto Rico. In many parts of the country, test slots are rare and it honestly takes many days, and some cases actually get results. ”
She continued to worry about the unnecessary burden of crew members already having to monitor mask compliance in addition to all their current roles which would be a logistical burden.
American Airlines also came out against the idea of domestic tests. CEO Doug Parker states that he believes there are logistical problems in figuring out how to conduct large-scale domestic tests. Mr. Parker also said there were no discussions with American about setting up testing.
Why airlines support international tests
Mr. Parker answered why airlines very internationally support international tests on the U.S. earnings call in the fourth quarter. He said the following:
“We support international testing because it’s about making more people feel comfortable flying across borders, and we’re working with the government on a regular basis to make that happen.”
The argument for international tests boils down to the fact that the test is a way to open up travel while domestic travel, which is already mostly open, would suffer. While some airports offer tests, and others vending machines to get a home test, the infrastructure is not widely available to test every passenger before their trip.
The other reason is that airlines know that international demand is low. Even after solar destinations in the Caribbean and Central America, transportation companies do not see the same numbers as they did last year. Many people want to fly domestic.
Think from the perspective of a passenger. When they begin their investigation into where they should go, they first consider where they may and may not go. A trip to see Hobbiton in New Zealand or go skiing in the Alps is out of the question. However, there are some opportunities in the Caribbean and Central America.
Many of these countries require incoming travelers to provide proof of a negative test within a few days of departure. There is also a mandate that returning passengers to the US must provide proof of a negative test taken before departure. So, if they are more risk averse, the same customer is likely to choose to discontinue international travel.
This allows domestic travel in the US. That customer will see where activities are open, where restaurants are open, and where there are fewer access restrictions. Passengers are likely to limit it to places like Florida or Arizona or Hawaii in the United States.
Domestic tests will lead to fewer travelers
Friction in the travel process, whether it is a requirement to obtain a visa or a mandate to obtain a test, causes passengers to consider other, easier options. People who want to go on vacation are still going to find a way to go on vacation. However, this is likely to happen via a means of transportation that does not require a runway.
Airlines know this and know that they can not lose more travelers than they currently have. On Friday, January 29, the TSA carved 774,688 passengers entering security checkpoints across the United States. In 2020, on the same Friday, nearly 2.2 million passengers flew into the air. And in 2019, it was more than 1.5 million.
Passenger numbers are less than 60% year-on-year. As can be seen from the results that have appeared in recent weeks, the current crisis is costing major airlines billions of dollars and is not sustainable. These fewer passengers also pay on average less for their fare than they paid in 2020 or 2019, leading to worse news for airlines.
Domestic testing is far from a reality
A big sigh of relief for carriers is that a mandate for domestic tests before travel is far from reality. The Biden administration drove the ideas. Although there have been some statements that agencies are actively investigating it, it is highly unlikely that any testing protocol will come into effect before consulting industry groups.
A CDC order requiring face masks for the duration of planes and inside airports takes effect from February 2, extending President Biden’s order. The order releases children under the age of two, people with responsibilities who are unable to wear a mask due to the disability, or for whom wearing the mask will create a risk to health, safety or duty in the workplace.
The order does allow carrier to set requirements for negative test results of COVID-19 to travel. While this is possible, some airlines may require tests for passengers who cannot wear a mask, but it is highly unlikely that any coverage for all travelers provided by an airline will ever happen.
Asked if he believes domestic tests will be a requirement for domestic flights, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said briefly during the firm’s revenue call:
‘I do not think so.’
Do you think the US should introduce domestic testing requirements for air travel? Let us know in the comments!