Frontier Airlines has become the first major US airline to announce plans for temperature screenings for all passengers. I suspect this is something we’ll soon find on a widespread basis.
In this post:
Frontier Airlines’ temperature screenings
Frontier Airlines will implement temperature screenings for all passengers and employees prior to boarding flights as of June 1, 2020. Anyone with a temperature of over 100.4 Fahrenheit will be denied boarding.
Customers will be screened via touchless thermometers prior to boarding:
- If a customer’s temperature reading is 100.4 degrees or higher, they will be given time to rest; if timing permits, the passenger can receive a second temperature check as well
- If the second check is 100.4 degrees or higher, a Frontier gate agent will explain to the customer that they will not be flying that day for the health and safety of others
- Frontier will work with that customer to rebook travel on a later date or otherwise accommodate the traveler’s preferences with respect to their reservation
Employees who have a temperature of at least 100.4 degrees won’t be able to travel either. Records won’t be kept of any of the temperatures taken.
The airline hopes that the TSA will eventually screen passengers as they enter the airports (since you’d ideally want to identify sick people when they enter the airport, rather than only as they board the plane), but in the meantime they’ll be introducing this initiative.
This complements Frontier’s other initiatives
Frontier has been for the most part doing a great job trying to reassure people during this pandemic:
- Frontier was the first US airline to require passengers to complete a health acknowledgment form prior to travel
- Frontier was the second US airline to make face masks mandatory
- Frontier was going to start selling empty middle seats, but unfortunately there was backlash
- Frontier has updated their boarding process, boarding people from back to front
- Like most US airlines, Frontier is putting effort into cleaning planes much more thoroughly than in the past
As Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle describes these initiatives:
“The health and safety of everyone flying Frontier is paramount and temperature screenings add an additional layer of protection for everyone onboard. This new step during the boarding process, coupled with face coverings and elevated disinfection procedures, will serve to provide Frontier customers an assurance that their well-being is our foremost priority and we are taking every measure to help them travel comfortably and safely.”
Bottom line
While none of these initiatives will independently make flying “safe,” they’re all moves in the right direction that should help to increase confidence among passengers. Only time will tell if these are temporary initiatives, or if this is the start of a new normal.
Well, safety measures are necessary to prevent the spread of this novel COVID-19. These safety measures help chines to come out from a bad situation...so I think that's good thing.
The only question I have is probably for someone in the medical profession... is there anything medically that could make a body temperature that high and not be caused by an infection? I would just take issue with an entry level customer service employee making a crucial and possibly costly decision without the needed education to back up that decision. Otherwise, sure why not if that will male everyone feel better? I mean I would...
The only question I have is probably for someone in the medical profession... is there anything medically that could make a body temperature that high and not be caused by an infection? I would just take issue with an entry level customer service employee making a crucial and possibly costly decision without the needed education to back up that decision. Otherwise, sure why not if that will male everyone feel better? I mean I would agree that if you are running a fever.. you probably should not fly anyways even before coronavirus situation.
@Nina Smith literally in the first paragraph of the article:
“Frontier Airlines will implement temperature screenings for all passengers and employees prior to boarding flights as of June 1, 2020.”
Last I checked May 8 was before June 1.
Nina
Airlines are struggling to survive, (they need passengers to pay to fly so they can make money to pay bills and keep people employed) as a country we can't just keep printing money to solve this problem. Its not the airline's or the government's responsibility to keep us safe. Its ultimately up to each of us to keep us safe
They are not doing these safety temperature check. My fiance rode a flight on May 8th. The flight was completely full there is no separation measures taken to keep people safe there was no temperature taken. They are making statements about things they are putting into place but these things are not happening. They want money and they do not care about risking the safety their customers
Restricting access is what worked. The mask is just making people feel good. The way that everyone (including some health care workers) plays with the mask defeats the purpose totally and can actually concentrate the virus. The temperature checks will keep those who are symptomatic from traveling and spreading the virus. But most carriers are asymptomatic. The temperature check is much more valuable than a dumb mask, though.
"Records won’t be kept of any of the temperatures taken."
You literally state that there will be a first screening, followed by a second screening if you didn't pass the first. For that process to work they would need to make a record of your first screening.
Lol who ever is still against mask and temperature checks clearly ignorant. It works in Asia (hey even China) and their economy is ramping back up. That’s a fact.
I think it's not so effective without proper medical staff on board. They have to perform these checkups inside airport buildings. Coronavirus negatively effects on travel and tourism industries so they have to make an effective plan for passenger's safety.
If I was 37.3 Celsius (99.14F to Americans and Liberians) I would be denied entry to my doctor's surgery!
So 100.4F (38C) should ring alarm bells at check-in to say the least!
Doesn't take much of a medic to measure 100+ deg. Doesn't matter what the root cause, if you sick you shouldn't be traveling and infecting others.
The way the Asian countries measure the body temperature (eg Hong Kong) could actually be made part of the TSA screening. Most TSA setups have a primary screen to make sure you are in the right line so the thermal camera could be put there.
@Tortuga, lol you don't need a medical degree to check temperature and determine if you have fever..
@roger companies are in business to make money, and Tortuga the government has a long history of screwing things up. Its not hard for anyone to measure your temperature it doesn't take years of school to do so. You are boarding their plane, and want to cover their ass from lawsuits.
I'm totally on board with face masks and other precautions. Very much so. But I strongly dislike the idea that someone without a medical degree will be making binding decisions regarding my perceived health and fitness for travel. Decisions like this, made by private, for-profit corporations, highlight the need for immediate government regulation of such matters.
Wow frontier didn't seem like it'd be the airline to take the lead on this but props to them!!
Yeah, right. If people need to be kept apart but can't be, pretending that masks or any fancy dress will make a difference is just fake news. Only a fool would buy it.
Money grabbers who talk about "safety" but only want to fill their airplanes.