United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby believes that vaccine mandates represent “the biggest incremental risk” in U.S. aviation.
Speaking at United’s Third Quarter Earnings Call on October 20th, Kirby argued that liberal exemptions at other airlines will lead to burdensome testing requirements which will cripple operations.
So we just managed it completely different than has happened at other airlines. And you talked about the risk going forward, and I think looking forward, by far, the biggest incremental risk in aviation in the United States are vaccine mandates. United we did our vaccine mandate — obviously as a mandate, we did — we were done with it before government requirements came in. So we did it purely for safety reasons.
But listening to other airlines that are now backing off those vaccine requirement and are going to encouraging employees to just all apply for an exemption and they’re likely to have tens of thousands of employees that need to be tested every week. This is a rear view mirror for United, this is not going to be an issue.
But can you imagine you have tens of thousands of employees, people forget to get their test, people do the test wrong, people don’t get it done, people test positive. And if you think whether in one state can lead to a meltdown, imagine if you have thousands of employees on one day calling in and saying for some reason, my test did not pass. I mean, it is going to be a huge challenge for airlines that are not implementing vaccine requirements.
Customers can book with confidence on United. We’re done with it. You can book with confidence on United. But, if you’re booking on an airline that doesn’t have a vaccine requirement they got government rules they have to follow and caveat emptor.
Kirby rightly recognizes that American and Southwest will likely grant a significantly higher number of exemption requests than United. And unlike United, those workers will likely be allowed to continue to work as usual, not be placed on unpaid leave (though this is currently being litigated). Per federal mandate, those workers who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 will have to undergo frequent testing.
Kirby is concerned burdensome testing requirements will pose a “huge challenge” for airlines. That’s an interesting theory, but I’m not sure that will be the case. Sure, it will be a challenge, but rapid testing can be done in mere minutes and I just don’t see this being the huge problem Kirby predicts.
Furthermore, Delta’s alternate approach to the vaccine mandate seems to be working well. No, Delta may not boast vaccination rates quite as high as United, but without any force over 90% of Delta employees are already vaccinated and that number is expected to rise.
Finally, there is not another U.S. airline that “doesn’t have a vaccine requirement.” They all do. The question is just how easily exemptions will be granted and how those exemptions may impact operations.
CONCLUSION
Kirby calls vaccine mandates the “biggest incremental risk” in U.S. aviation, but he does not mean the vaccine itself. Instead, he believes that other airlines who grant widespread exemptions to the federal vaccine mandate face operational danger due to testing requirements. Time will tell whether that is the case, but I think testing will be less of an issue than proper staffing in the first place.
Vaccinated people transmit the virus anyway! Why would I feel safer flying with a vaccinated crew if they don’t test regularly? They may be carrying the virus and putting everyone at risk! The vaccine protects those who took it.
Also, I am not anti-vax, but I do believe people have the right to choose whether they want to take a vaccine or not. Instead of forcing people to take it, constant educational campaigns would make people much more confident than mandates.
Another subject that bothers me is that the big pharma is profiting so much over the pandemic. Just Pfizer expects to generate $33.5 billion in Covid-19 vaccine sales in 2021. If the government is so concerned about public health, why didn’t they develop the vaccine instead? We have excellent universities, health experts, and labs. Those little things raise genuine questions about whether there is more behind the “public health interest.”
Also, I am not anti-vax, but I do believe people have the right to choose whether they want to take a vaccine or not.
Therein lies the rub. Nobody is truly mandating that anyone receive the vaccine. Is employment potentially dependent upon it? Sure. But employment is dependent upon a lot of things, vaccine(s) notwithstanding. And it’s a false dichotomy to insist that coercion through employment is a “mandate”. I don’t speak French but I’m an EU citizen. I can’t “force” Air France employ me for intra-France flights as French language proficiency is a requirement. I can either learn French or choose not to. Similarly, anyone CHOOSING to forego the vaccine can seek employment elsewhere, can they not? Airlines CHOOSING to forego vaccine requirements required to maintain government contracts can look elsewhere for lucrative gigs. I’m pro-vax and understand what anti-vax folks are saying, even though I disagree with it. My question, though, is why are anti-vax folks demanding a choice on the vaccine but demanding to also be free from the consequences of doing so.
I disagree with that analogy. It would be more accurate to say that many/most employers asked you to speak French, but even then it’s a poor analogy as being asked to speak French is not the same being asked to inject a fluid into your body.
Yes I have the vax, but three of my friends were fully vaxxed, still got Covid and are just fine. Some people won’t be, but that’s the case with every disease. So I’m over Covid. This whole vax/mask controversy ends whenever we want it to.
In the states, we don’t demand to be free nor demand a choice. We are free and we demand the Government obey the laws set forth. 4th Ammendment, 14th Ammendment, and the civil rights act of 1964 Article 7. Which places the responsibility upon the shoulders of the Employer to accommodate the employee without undo hardship. The Employer does not grant us an exemption, our rights do!
Wow! You deleted my comment! Why? Did I say anything inappropriate?
First time commenters go into a moderation queue. Sorry for the delay. All subsequent comments will be automatically approved.
“No, Delta may not boast vaccination rates quite as high as United, but without any force over 90% of Delta employees are already vaccinated and that number is expected to rise.”
I don’t think that is a fair statement. Most employees get their healthcare from their employer, a $200 fine per month is basically “forcing” vaccinated for all but most dedicated or well compensated.
BTW I strongly support employer-based vaccine mandates, especially for public-facing roles. Just in case my comment makes me sound like I have the opposite opinion. I just feel we should be honest about what’s a mandate.
That’s a fair point. You could argue that the $200/month surcharge is a form of force.
Kirby is using the different approach as an opportunity to promote United to potential customers as having less risk of meltdowns. And is hoping to scare customers of his competitors. It’s a good CEO move publicly though as Matt said, it’s probably theater. From flying this week from the crowds you would think Covid is over other than the masks. And in DFW I would say 15-20% of people were walking around the airport without masks.
It’s all crazy. If a vaccinated crew is good isn’t vaccinated passengers even better. Also what about 6 months or a year or 2 years. Do we just keep vaccinating people over and over until the side effects kick in. I’m pro-vaccination but I would also fight for those that chose not to be. And if the crew is 100% vaccinated do they have to wear masks? Why?
That is certainly the plan — never ending boosters until the end of time. Kirby has a problem on his hands because he’s ignorant to think that ~99% of his staff are going to get their lifetime subscription of boosters. People might have got their two shots up front but as one black elderly woman said on NBC Nightly News the other night: “I’m not getting any more COVID shots. I am not a pin cushion!” Kirby apparently thinks everyone will be his pin cushion. Time will tell.
Something I found really interesting in that earnings call is that they are adding Premium Plus to the standard 767-300s as well as the incoming A321XLRs will have Premium Plus.
Will be very interesting to see Premium Plus on a narrowbody. Assume it will be in a 2-2 configuration like domestic first, but then what will business / first be?
Didn’t read/listen but my guess it will be domestic business seats used on long haul routes that cannot be sold as biz. I think delta does this already?
Both AA and DL sell domestic F seats as PE on Transatlantic flights
However, I had thought the XLR would also have lie flats. Sounds like 3 cabin planes
Another CEO drama queen. STFU and get jabbed freedumb idiots.
The logistics of having to weekly test potentially thousands of employees is indeed a nightmare. Where will they be tested – third party allowed or at the airport base? Will they have to come in on their day off to be tested? For AA, what happens when weather hits DFW and closes the airport for 4 hours resulting in diversions and all the commuting crews who need to be tested? Will the airline have adequate reserves to keep the operations running? Will the unvaccinated crew member be pay protected for any trips missed due to no fault of their own if the flights divert? Do commuting crews have to be tested in base and fly in on their day off? Will they get positive space and take away a paying passenger seat? What happens when a blizzard hits a major base – they already can cripple operations. As we go into winter months, if more than expected test positive for Covid and have to be removed for 10-14 from all trips, is the airline prepared with extra staffing to make up for the slack? How will they deal with seniority violations due to unvaccinated crew members not allowed to fly into an ever increasing list of countries requiring crews to be vaccinated? I’m sorry but Kirby is right – AA, Southwest, and all other airlines are setting themselves up for some really nightmarish scenarios.
He should focus on United not being a mediocre airline. Vax mandates as the hill to die on ain’t it, chief.
Covid scares me less than EWR. Just say no NJ & UA.
Daddy Desantis agrees:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVTFegOr83d/
Long live Florida.
If more pilots and flight attendants lost their jobs in 2020, like many of us did, maybe they would be more inclined to take the moderate risk of trusting medical experts to get a vaccination and help end the pandemic. It is my understanding that pilots, as part of their profession, agree to stringent medical exams to protect the general public. If some pilots are so concerned about their rights, maybe they should find another profession.
Wait until Xmas or New Year’s come and a suspiciously large number of F/As all report positive tests and need to stay home. Kirby sees tbe bigger picture.
Proud to fly United!