First airline contact-tracing initiative launched

Delta is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US to ensure that international customers are kept informed of potential Covid-19 exposure through contact tracing.

The airline, alongside its nine global airline partners, including Virgin Atlantic, is working closely with government agencies, health officials and aviation authorities to offer “safer journeys” to passengers.

Under the new contact-tracing system, Delta passengers will be required to provide their full name, email address, address in the US plus both a primary and secondary phone number.

This data will then be “directly and securely” transmitted to the CDC via US Customs and Border Protection.

Bill Lentsch, Delta’s chief customer experience officer, said: “Independent studies have shown that the many layers of protection Delta has already put in place are effectively minimising the risk of Covid-19 transmission, and contact tracing adds one more important layer to our efforts to ensure safety throughout travel.”

Submitting contact information will be mandatory for those flying on Delta’s first quarantine-free transatlantic route between Atlanta and Rome, which is due to launch on 19 December.