COVID-19 in the Airline Industry: The Good, the Bad, and the Necessary

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected flight attendants’ health, safety, and security. Members of this group work in a densely occupied and enclosed space where social distancing is virtually impossible, compliance with mask rules is uneven, aggressive passenger incidents are at an all-time high, and the vaccination status of passengers on domestic flights is unknown. Here is a description of the response by the federal government and the United States (U.S.) airline industry from the perspective of a flight attendant union between the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and this writing. Specifically, the issues of ventilation, face masks, aggressive passengers, quarantine and isolation, and vaccinations are reviewed, including actions taken by the executive branch of the U.S. government, regulators, airlines, manufacturers, and our crew member union. Although there will be regional differences around the globe, many of these issues are universal.