United Airlines is the first major U.S. airline to require all passengers to complete a health self-assessment during their check-in process. But is this anything more than another example of hygiene theatre?
Health Self-Assessment Now Part of United Check-In Process
Just as you now acknowledge that you are not transporting hazardous materials when you check in, a new check-in step will require customers to verify they are not exhibiting symptoms for COVID-19.
The list includes acknowledgment that:
- You must wear a face covering while on board for the safety of everyone
- Have not been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last 21 days
- Have not experienced any of the following symptoms in the past 14 days (excludes symptoms from a pre-existing condition)
- Temperature of 38 C/100.4 F or higher
- Cough
- Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
- Chills
- Muscle pain
- Sore throat
- Recent loss of taste or smell
- Have not been denied boarding by another airline due to a medical screening for a communicable disease in the last 14 days
- Have not had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days
Honor System In Effect
United notes that “customers that are not able to confirm these requirements and choose not to travel will be able to reschedule their flight. Customers may also choose to check-in at the airport for further review.”
I asked United what that meant. What if a customer is unable to confirm these requirements and still chooses to travel? Can they travel?
Short answer: they can still travel. (“Correct” United told me)
That was obvious from the start, but I just wanted official confirmation form United.
Is United Engaging In Hygiene Theatre?
I get muscle pain when I workout and sometimes I wake up with a sore throat if I sleep with my mouth open in dry Southern California. Does that mean I shouldn’t travel?
On the one hand, I think that most people get the intent of this and are not going to be afraid they have COVID-19 if they just did a heavy workout the previous day and woke up with sore muscles in the area trained. That is quite different than waking up with unexplained muscle pain in combination with other symptoms.
On the other hand, I do think this checklist is helpful to some who try to be honest and will take seriously their duty not to spread COVID-19 or any other communicable virus.
But I absolutely think many will flaunt the rules. Of course they will. And this new health self-assessment was not going to change that. Selfish people always put others at risk. This will not change.
CONCLUSION
Expect an extra step in your check-in process at United. Among other things, in order to fly you’ll need to acknowledge that you are capable and willing to wear a mask. Children and those medically unable to wear a face mask will still be exempted from actually wearing a face mask, but not from agreeing to their obligation to do so.
> Read More: United CleanPlus Will Promote New Standard Of Cleanliness
These things are pointless. It is obvious which answers are going to invite more scrutiny and which ones will not. Most passengers will just answer in the way that lets them fly, regardless of their actual condition. It assumes a level of good faith that does not exist.
Exactly. Long time smokers for instance probably cough a lot. Does that count as Covid-19 symptoms?
Lipstick on a pig. Typical UA. Of course I would never even show up on an airport if I had Covid-19 symptoms but I doubt if a passenger is determined to travel one will say yes to any of those questions.
Did you pack your own bags and do they have a fever?
Straight up risk management shifting from the company to the customers. The only reason they are doing it is to have the ability to deny responsibility for people getting CV19 on the plane from another passenger. But this is America, and it’s hard to know who is worse, the companies that won’t take responsibility for anything or the customers that threaten legal action for every disappointment and unfortunate event (because they also do not wish to take responsibility for anything).
Can’t blame an airline for protecting its interests in the litigious world we find ourselves in.
Right on, 747! (I kind of miss the 747 even though I always worked economy aisle on a packed flight to HKG!!)
if it only makes people consider wearing their mask as a serious rule, then it is probably a good thing. Of course people will flaunt all the rules; but encouraging mask wearing is a task worth taking.
Pointless.