A4A Applauds the TSA's Decision to Require Face Masks for Employees

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May 07, 2020, 21:02 ET

WASHINGTON, May 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- This morning, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced it will require its employees to wear face masks while performing screening operations. We appreciate TSA Administrator Pekoske's leadership on this issue as the safety and well-being of passengers and employees is the top priority of U.S. airlines.

The TSA's decision comes on the heels of A4A's member passenger carriers voluntarily announcing that customer-facing employees and passengers will be required to wear a cloth face covering over their nose and mouth throughout the journey — during check-in, boarding, in-flight and deplaning.

While requiring facial coverings for TSA officers is an important and necessary step, we encourage the TSA and U.S. airports to similarly require facial protection for all travelers, in keeping with CDC recommendations. This would ensure needed consistency for the duration of the passenger journey and instill greater confidence for the traveling public that the airlines, airports and federal government are prioritizing their health and safety.

We look forward to continued collaboration with the TSA as we all work to ensure the safety and well-being of travelers.

For more on how U.S. airlines are responding to COVID-19, please visit www.AirlinesTakeAction.com.

ABOUT A4A
Airlines for America (A4A) members are Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Atlas Air, Delta Air Lines, FedEx, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and UPS. Air Canada is an associate member.

A4A advocates on behalf of the leading U.S. airlines, both passenger and cargo carriers. A4A works collaboratively with industry stakeholders, federal agencies, the Administration, Congress, labor and other groups to improve aviation for the traveling and shipping public.

For more information about the airline industry, visit our website airlines.org and our blog, A Better Flight Plan, at airlines.org/blog.

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SOURCE Airlines for America