Published September 29, 2021 Show
Updated 4:24PM Passenger removed after asking flight attendant to wear face maskA man was removed from an Allegiant Air flight Monday morning to Punta Gorda, Florida after allegedly asking a flight attendant to put a face mask on, according to a report by Newsweek. (Credit: Anonymous via Storyful) WASHINGTON - California Sen. Dianne Feinstein has proposed a bill that would require all U.S. domestic airline passengers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, test negative for the virus, or show proof that they have fully recovered from the illness. Feinstein introduced the U.S. Air Travel Public Safety Act Wednesday that would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, along with the FAA, to develop standards and procedures to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak regarding air travel. The proposed bill would also require an advisory committee with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make recommendations for COVID-19 vaccine use in health care settings and among health care staff in other settings. RELATED: United, Frontier roll out COVID-19 vaccination requirements for workers "We know that air travel during the 2020 holiday season contributed to last winter’s devastating COVID-19 surge," Feinstein said in a news release. "We simply cannot allow that to happen again." "Ensuring that air travelers protect themselves and their destination communities from this disease is critical to prevent the next surge, particularly if we confront new, more virulent variants of COVID-19," she continued.
FULL INTERVIEW: Southwest flight attendant files lawsuit blaming airline for husband’s COVID-19 deathA Southwest Airlines flight attendant has filed a lawsuit against the carrier, claiming the airline failed to follow proper COVID-19 protocols to protect its staff from being exposed to the coronavirus during a mandatory training session last summer, which led to her husband’s death. Some airlines have already mandated that employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine. United Airlines said it will begin terminating the employment of workers who have declined to get a COVID-19 vaccine in violation of the company’s policy. RELATED: United Airlines to fire 593 employees who refused COVID-19 vaccine In a memo obtained by FOX TV Stations, the company wrote that more than 99% of its 90,000-plus workforce has gotten vaccinated. A United Airlines spokesperson confirmed the company has already begun a process to terminate the employment of 593 people who have chosen not to comply with the company’s vaccine requirement policy. RELATED: These companies are requiring employees to get COVID-19 vaccinations Frontier Airlines followed suit, announcing a similar policy requiring employees to be vaccinated by Oct. 1 or provide "regular" proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Airlines continue to grapple with mandated COVID-19 restrictions as travel rebounds from the 2020 global lockdown. Federal officials extended into January a requirement that people on flights and public transportation wear face masks, a rule intended to limit the spread of COVID-19. The mask mandate has been controversial and has led to many encounters between passengers who don’t want to wear a mask and flight attendants asked to enforce the rule. The FAA said in August that airlines have reported 3,889 incidents involving unruly passengers this year, and 2,867 — or 74% — involved refusing to wear a mask. Austin Williams and the Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.  Airlines Requiring COVID-19 Vaccines for Employees
Vaccine mandates are ramping up around the world now that there is evidence that we have multiple safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19. Several companies, including airlines, have been strongly encouraging employees to get vaccinated since the shots have become widely available. A few have even gone as far as requiring all employees to be inoculated. On August 6, 2021, United Airlines became the first U.S. airline to announce that it will require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, with other carriers following suit. Other U.S. airlines have stuck with encouraging and incentivizing vaccination among its employees. Some have made it a requirement for new employees, while existing unvaccinated employees may be subject to higher healthcare costs. Incentives have become more apparent since the Pfizer vaccine received full FDA approval on August 23, 2021, and more airlines may require employees to be vaccinated in the future in light of the recent federal mandate that sets out new vaccination guidelines for employees of government contractors and companies of 100+ employees. Here’s a look at vaccination policies for employees at some of the major U.S. airlines. Related: Canada Will Require Vaccine to Fly: Will U.S. Follow? Vaccination Rules for Employees of U.S. AirlinesAirlines That Require Employee VaccinationHere are the airlines that require all employees, new and existing, to show proof of vaccination. Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines is shifting from their previous policy to require all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by December 8th. Employees who show proof of vaccination (at last count, 75% of Alaska Airlines employees who shared their status were vaccinated) prior to December 1st will still receive a $200 incentive from the carrier. American AirlinesAll American Airlines employees must show proof of vaccination starting November 24, 2021. JetBlueJetBlue is assisting employees in their vaccination requirement by setting up vaccination sites at some of its support centers and airports. On JetBlue’s safety page, it states that the majority of crew members have already received the vaccine. In an additional precaution, any crew member diagnosed with COVID-19 will receive up to an additional 14 days of paid sick time. Related: Where Can Americans Travel Right Now? Southwest AirlinesEmployees of Southwest Airlines must submit proof of vaccination or apply for religious or medical exemption by November 24, 2021. Employees who are approved for exemption will most likely have to continue to wear a mask at all times and get tested on a regular schedule. Hawaiian AirlinesIn August, Hawaiian Airlines CEO Peter Ingram told U.S. employees in a memo that they will be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine by November 1, 2021. Medical and religious exemptions will be made, but will require testing. He said that the decision was “deliberated extensively” but ultimately decided to impose this requirement to ensure a safe environment. “Safety is the foundation of air travel, and it is ingrained throughout our operation and service. This is no different,” he said. Related: 5 Types of Face Masks That Are Banned From Planes United AirlinesUnited was the first major U.S. airline to require vaccines for employees and it is also the strictest when it comes to enforcing the mandate. On August 6, United announced it will require its 67,000 U.S. employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or risk termination. At the time, employees had until Oct. 25 or five weeks after one of the vaccines received full FDA approval, whichever came earlier. That deadline was changed to September 27, 2021, after the Pfizer vaccine was fully approved in late August. Employees who refuse to get vaccinated for medical or religious reasons will be able to request for an exemption. United Airlines originally stated that they plan to put exempt employees on temporary unpaid leave until reasonable safety measures could be put into place. However, after six employees filed a lawsuit, a judge has ordered a temporary hold on this policy. Related: Strategies to Get a Refund on Non-Refundable Airfare Airlines That Encourage (But Do Not Require) Employee VaccinationWhile the following airlines encourage and incentivize their employees to get vaccinated, they stop short of enforcing a strict vaccine policy. Delta Air LinesIn May, Delta was the first airline to announce that new hires would need to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but it stopped short of requiring existing employees to get the vaccine. Instead, Delta has focused on incentivizing its current employees to get vaccinated. In a late August memo to employees, CEO Ed Bastian announced that 75% of employees were vaccinated (this number has increased to 90% as of early October). The memo also outlined new measures to encourage the remaining Delta workforce to get vaccinated. Delta’s vaccine policy states that:
Frontier AirlinesOn August 6, Frontier announced a new policy for all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October, 1, 2021. However, this isn’t as strict of a requirement as it may seem. Frontier is allowing employees who choose not to or are unable to get vaccinated to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test on a regular basis. Spirit AirlinesCEO Ted Christie confirmed in a staff email earlier this month that the airline will be complying with the federal mandate’s vaccine requirement. While further details on this policy have not yet been released, it is likely that there will be a continued testing option for employees who choose not to receive the vaccine. Related: What You Should Know Before Flying Spirit Airlines Do Airlines Require Passengers to Be Vaccinated?While a few airlines are imposing vaccine mandates on employees, so far, no U.S. airlines are requiring passengers to be vaccinated to fly within the U.S. However, some countries are requiring proof of vaccinations for tourists to enter. Additionally, as the U.S. reopens to international travelers, it’s likely that vaccines will be mandatory for visitors to enter. Australia’s largest airline, Qantas, recently announced that it will require all passengers on international flights to be vaccinated against COVID-19 when it restarts worldwide flights in December. It’s one of the first and only airlines to have this requirement. Unless a federal vaccine mandate for travel is imposed, it’s unlikely a U.S. airline will make vaccination a similar requirement for domestic travel. All products and services mentioned on Airfarewatchdog are independently selected by our team of expert travelers. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. More Stories You'll LoveGet Low Fares &Money Saving TipsSee only the best flight deals we find each day Please confirm the email address you entered is valid. Congratulations, you have successfully subscribed!By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy and Cookies Statement and Terms of Use Why are there no Allegiant flights in September 2022?“Allegiant's schedules are driven tourism travel,” he said. “That is why every year, beginning in middle of August through September, that they take a hiatus for training and maintenance — that is their slow time.
Is a backpack considered a personal item for Allegiant Air?Your Personal Item (like a purse, briefcase, or a small backpack) must be stored completely underneath the seat in front of you.
How much does Allegiant charge for a carryBag fees paid at the airport are $50 each way per passenger, per bag for a carry-on bag and for the first 5 checked bags. Please see Optional Services and Fees for route-specific baggage charges.
How strict is Allegiant with carryAllegiant Airlines are relatively strict, and state that you are only entitled to bring on board one personal item free of charge. According to them, it must be no larger than 16 x 15 x 7 inches and so be easily stored underneath the seat in front of you.
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Do you have to be vaccinated to fly allegiant airlines
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