Alaska Airways is contemplating Covid vaccine mandates for employees

Alaska Airways instructed workers on Wednesday that it’s contemplating making Covid-19 vaccines necessary for workers, in line with firm memo, which was seen by CNBC.

The coverage change would make the Seattle-based service the most recent airline to require vaccines for its workers. On Friday, United Airways turned the primary main U.S. service to mandate vaccines for its workers. Frontier Airways and Hawaiian Airways have since issued related necessities.

Alaska, which has roughly 20,000 workers, stated if it does mandate vaccines it will achieve this after the Meals and Drug Administration provides full approval to one of many vaccines which might be at present obtainable beneath emergency approval.

Airline executives have lately raised issues concerning the fast-spreading delta variant of Covid. Southwest Airways earlier on Wednesday lowered its income and revenue outlook, blaming the variant’s unfold on weaker bookings and elevated cancellations.

Delta, Southwest and American have inspired however not mandated that workers are vaccinated.

“As an employer with an obligation to maintain you protected and given the contagiousness and well being dangers of the COVID-19 virus and its variants, we’re inside our rights to make this resolution and to ask you for details about your vaccine standing,” Alaska instructed workers. It stated that there could be exceptions for spiritual or medical causes, just like different corporations’ insurance policies.