The CEOs of three of the biggest airlines in the US have stated they will not be requiring employees to be vaccinated.
Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines are not following the path of United and Frontier Airlines, who both announced last week that all employees must get vaccinated, CNN reports. United workers may be fired if unvaccinated by October 25 and unvaccinated Frontier workers will have to show daily proof of negative tests starting October 1.
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Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly stated the company's stance on vaccinations hasn't changed as they still "strongly encourage" everyone to get vaccinated.
"Obviously, I am very concerned about the latest Delta variant, and the effect on the health and Safety of our Employees and our operation, but nothing has changed," Kelly said in an internal memo obtained by CNN.
American Airlines CEO Doug Parker has said all employees who get vaccinated will receive an extra vacation day next year.
"We certainly encourage it everywhere we can, encourage it for our customers and our employees, but we're not putting mandates in place," Parker said on a New York Times podcast.
In a press release issued last Friday, Barry Biffle, president and CEO, Frontier Airlines said "As we continue to watch the rapid increase of new COVID-19 cases across the United States caused by the Delta variant, I am concerned for the well-being of our team members, their families and friends."
And while Delta is requiring all new employees to be vaccinated, it isn't mandating it for current employees. Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian told Good Day New York on Tuesday that 75% of its workforce is vaccinated.
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