NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — A handful of Democratic lawmakers on Monday sent a letter to federal officials, asking them to implement stricter air travel requirements amid a spike in COVID-19 cases.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) posted the letter to her social media account, noting that air travel has returned to pre-pandemic levels, but not enough is being done to prevent the spread of the omicron variant onboard aircrafts.
“Air travel has essentially returned to pre-pandemic levels but COVID-19, particularly the omicron variant, continues to pose a major public health threat,” she wrote. “We’re urging the CDC and FAA to start requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test for all domestic flights.”
In a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Federal Aviation Administration, the four lawmakers – Feinstein, California Rep. Eric Swalwell, Virginia Rep. Don Beyer and New York Rep. Ritchie Torres – noted international flights already have vaccination and testing requirements but domestic flights have yet to catch up.
The lawmakers noted that such precautions on domestic flights is already supported by “two-thirds of Americans in recent polling.”
Also leaning in favor of such a measure is Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who told WCBS 880’s Steve Scott on Tuesday that the U.S.
needs to strongly consider mandatory vaccinations for all air travel.
“I think we need to look very closely at possible requirements because passengers on trains and planes sitting in close proximity are potentially at risk,” Blumenthal said. “But these kind of mandatory vaccination and testing are only one or two of the tools necessary.”
“As the Omicron variants spread, we need to have a sense of real urgency and obligation,” he added.
However, Blumenthal – who sits on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation – said that he is not committing to urging mandatory vaccinations just yet.
“The airlines are claiming… that their ventilations systems are superior to other public places,” the senator said. “But, the consideration of mandatory vaccinations and masking will continue… and I think that there is a powerful argument.”
Monday’s letter to the CDC and FAA was not the first time Democrats have tried to mandate vaccinations and testing for domestic flights.
Last month, a group of about three dozen congressional Democrats sent a letter to President Joe Biden, asking him to implement the change. New York lawmakers also sent a similar request in September.
The only mandates for air travel that the U.S. has implemented is the requirement that all those returning from international travel receive a negative COVID-19 test, however, the timing of the tests varies based on vaccination status.
The U.S. also requires that international travelers visiting the country also must be vaccinated or have a negative COVID-19 test.
There are no requirements for domestic travel, only that passengers wear a mask at all times when aboard their flight.
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