United’s CEO, Scott Kirby, spoke at their third-quarter earnings call this week and said that “customers can book with confidence on United. If you are booking on an airline that doesn’t have a vaccine requirement, they’ve got government rules they have to follow and caveat emptor (let the buyer beware).” He pointed to the possibility of serious problems ahead in operations at other airlines. United is one of the leading airlines to Hawaii. It is poised for another round of island expansion in 2022.
One particular airline was UAL was referring to was not mentioned by name. That airline is Southwest since their employees can continue working if they want an exemption to the vaccine mandate and test regularly.
You’ll recall that Southwest had a meltdown that reached Hawaii less than two weeks ago. It remains unclear what the cause of Southwest’s problems was, although it remains rumored to have at least in part been related to pending employee vaccination mandates, especially for pilots.
Hawaiian Airlines has mandated all of its employees be vaccinated.
In August, Hawaii bellwether Hawaiian Airlines issued an employee vaccine mandate. CEO Peter Ingram said that all US-based employees must be vaccinated by November 1.
Alaska Airlines employees must also be vaccinated.
Earlier this month, Hawaii-centric Alaska Airlines announced its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees. That was a shift from last month when the company said that vaccination was encouraged and financially rewarded. From now on, “all employees will now be required to be fully vaccinated or be approved for a reasonable accommodation.”
American Airlines and its pilots’ union disagree.
American Airlines has said that the company won’t accede to their pilots’ union attempt to permit “alternatives” to a vaccine mandate for employees. The federal government has said that contractors’ (airline) employees must be fully vaccinated by December 8. AA’s CEO said, “our team members need to be vaccinated. It’s really important for our business, for our company, to get the pandemic under control. We want every one of our team members to be vaccinated and, equally important, we want every one of our team members to have a job and continue to work at American.”
Pilots’ union speaks up about bigger issue Airline safety first, vaccinations second.
In another clear shot at Texas-based Southwest Airlines and especially American Airlines, pilots are being admonished to focus on safety rather than vaccine mandates.
The Allied Pilots Association representing American Airlines said, “Distractions cannot affect safety. We are seeing distractions in the flight deck that can create dangerous situations.”
Are you more inclined to fly an airline that requires all employees to be vaccinated?
Valerie F:
How do you live with it around people like you if you have had 4 kidney transplants and a compromised immune system?
NO to mandates—do your own risk assessment. If you have health issues, then do what you need to do. Flying is cleaner than it has ever been anyway and I feel safer now!!
I have always wiped down my area before seating back when people would look at me like I am a germaphobe—
this has gotten way out of hand. Time to move on and live with it.
“No” to your question “Are you more inclined to fly an airline that requires all employees to be vaccinated?” Absolutely the opposite. I am about to book a flight from Kona to Oahu. I just checked to see who has mandates for employees. I see that Hawaiian does so I am booking with Southwest even though the hours less convenient. Our governments are not following the science. Thank you. Katherine R
The problem here is that people think if all are vaccinated, somehow the virus magically disappears or prevents them (the vaccinated) from getting it. That’s just not the case. If you’re the one vaccinated the other people being vaccinated has nothing to do with you! It’s like a meme I saw…
“I hate allergy season. I took my Claritin but no one else did so it’s not working…”
Don’t force a mandate if you’re expecting to be safe. You do you and don’t worry about the others.
No I am not inclined to fly on airlines requiring. I support you should have a choice to inject in your body or not…a few of my vaccinated friends getting Covid.
There are now over 80 published scientific studies that show natural immunity is more robust than the vaccine. We are also seeing the vaccine effectiveness decreasing after 6 months. How long will the “fully vaccinated” be considered “fully vaccinated”? How many boosters will be mandating to be considered “fully vaccinated”? This nonsense has gone on long enough. If we want to continue hurting the economy, ruining our country, & destroying an a already short handed work force, keep the mandates.