United Airlines has announced that all US-based employees will be required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 by late October.
The Chicago-based company becomes the first US airline to mandate being vaccinated as a workspace safety measure.
United said on Friday (6 August) that 67,000 “active” staff must be vaccinated against Covid by October 25 or risk losing their jobs.
Employees who show proof of vaccination by 20 September will also receive one extra day of pay.
In a memo to United staff, chief executive Scott Kirby and president Brett Hart said: “We know some of you will disagree with this decision to require the vaccine for all United employees.
“But we have no greater responsibility to you and your colleagues than to ensure your safety when you’re at work, and the facts are crystal clear: everyone is safer when everyone is vaccinated.”
United and other US airlines have previously used incentives to encourage employees to be vaccinated.
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