Frontier Airlines Announces Temperature Checks To Fly
Frontier Airlines Announces Temperature Checks To Fly
Over the past couple of weeks, U.S. airlines announced plans to make face masks mandatory. Airlines also recently announced changes to social distancing seating policies on their planes. Earlier this week, Frontier airlines announced paid social distancing. Frontier quickly cancelled that policy after criticism and questions from members of Congress. Today, Frontier Airlines announced it will institute temperature checks on passengers and crew members prior to boarding beginning June 1, 2020.
The idea is not a new one, but Frontier is the first U.S. airline to make such an announcement. Earlier this week, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly urged the Transportation Security Administration to institute temperature checks at checkpoints. Frontier CEO Gary Biffle also said the TSA should handle temperature screenings.
In a statement, Biffle said:
The health and safety of everyone flying Frontier is paramount and temperature screenings add an additional layer of protection for everyone onboard. This new step during the boarding process, coupled with face coverings and elevated disinfection procedures, will serve to provide Frontier customers an assurance that their well-being is our foremost priority and we are taking every measure to help them travel comfortably and safely.
How Will It Work?
Frontier said that any passenger with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher will be denied boarding. Where departure time allows, passengers will be given time to rest before getting a second reading. If their temperature is still 100.4 degree or higher, they will be denied boarding.
For those who are denied boarding the airline says, “Frontier will work with that customer to rebook travel on a later date or otherwise accommodate the traveler’s preferences with respect to their reservation.”
The airline will also check crew member temperatures before their shift begins. Crew members will not be able to fly if their temperature is 100.4 degrees or higher.
Bottom Line
Similar to mandatory face masks, we can expect to see more of this in the coming weeks. I’d be surprised if Frontier is the only U.S. airline to institute temperature checks. This is just one more way airlines are trying to make passengers comfortable with flying on their airplanes. Keep in mind, Frontier’s face mask policy begins today (May 8), and the new temperature check policy begins on June 1, 2020.
