Sheldon Jacobson: Delta variant is having its way with air travel. What can help turn it around?

What a difference a month makes.

On Aug. 1, over 2.2 million passengers passed through airport security checkpoints, the largest number dating back to March 2020. It was only on June 11 when airport security checkpoints screened 2 million passengers for the first time since early 2020. In contrast, on Aug. 31, under 1.4 million passengers were screened, the lowest number since May 11.

Numerous layers of protection are in place to protect air travelers from covid-19 infections, and the population in general. Over 60% of the population over 12 years old are fully vaccinated. United Airlines was the first major airline to mandate vaccination for all their employees.

Airlines have already done much to protect passengers in flight. They are paying special attention to cabin cleaning and airplane air filtration systems are some of the most advanced available, making the air in airplane cabins safer than almost every other venue. This means that the safest time during a trip is when passengers are on an airplane. Federal mask mandates on all forms of transportation, including commercial airplanes, provide yet another layer of protection, with this requirement recently extended through January 2022.

In spite of all such measures, travelers are waking up to the reality that the delta variant is more contagious than previous variants of the virus.

This has become most apparent at airport security checkpoints, reflected by the health of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport screeners. To date, over 10,000 have tested positive, with 23 deaths. This is an increase of over 1,500 screeners and five deaths in the past four weeks. Miami International, Los Angeles International, and JFK International have each had over 400 total cumulative TSA screeners infected. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International, Newark International, Orlando International, Chicago O’Hare, and Dallas Forth-Worth round out the top eight. Not surprisingly, three of these airports are based in Florida, a delta variant hotspot.

Airport security checkpoints are a point of convergence for airport passenger operations, since every traveler must pass through them. As infections increase across the nation, TSA screeners interacting with passengers place the screeners in highly vulnerable positions, even with the many precautions the TSA has put into place to protect them.

All such factors are making travelers vote with their feet, either delaying or foregoing air travel.

What will it take to reverse the current downward trend?

First, the FDA granting full approval to the Pfizer covid-19 vaccines will make it easier for companies and organizations to mandate vaccination for all their employees and give business travel an upward boost. Full FDA approval decisions on the Moderna and J&J vaccines are imminent. Increases in the percent of the population over 12 years old fully vaccinated will further improve population health, giving people more confidence to travel.

Second, gaining FDA approval for covid-19 vaccines for those under 12 years old is imperative. With around 50 million such children vulnerable to infection and capable of transmitting the virus, a vaccine that is available for such young people will go a long way to protecting everyone. This will give families more confidence when traveling together on vacations to holiday destinations and amusement attractions.

Third, once all the covid-19 vaccines are fully FDA approved, require travelers to provide their vaccination status when they book their travel and check-in. Asking for formal proof of vaccination is problematic and unreliable. However, adding this question forces people to take responsibility for their vaccination status.

Airlines and the TSA already ask travelers numerous questions that affect security. Adding a vaccination status question provides health security information that affects all travelers. All airlines must work together to enact such a policy, including untangling the associated legal barriers. In doing so, it will send an important message that vaccination is a critical line of defense in our nation’s battle with the virus.

Passengers must feel confident that they are safe during all phases when they travel. Airlines are doing their part today. In the near future, they will be able to do even more. With that, air travel will once again pick up, providing a visible marker for the health and well-being of our nation.

Sheldon Jacobson is a professor of computer science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign