WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Rick Scott and Maria Cantwell introduced the Fly Safe and Healthy Act to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by launching a pilot program to require temperature checks at TSA screenings for air travelers.

Senator Rick Scott said, “As our economy re-opens and Americans begin traveling more, we have to do everything we can to make sure travel is safe. We also have to ensure consumers are protected from unfair pricing tactics from airlines. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I’ve been calling for temperature checks for passengers of mass transit as a common sense way to help keep Americans safe and healthy. This legislation will enable a temperature check pilot program while also ensuring airlines are flexible with customers who get sick following the purchase of a flight. If passengers are not allowed to fly due to a fever, airlines will have to work with the customer to reschedule or cancel the flight at no cost.”

Senator Maria Cantwell said, “Americans deserve all the available tools to fight COVID-19. For workers and the traveling public, a temperature check program provides important data. The legislation I introduced would require TSA to use innovative temperature screening technology to better protect passenger and worker health, and build public trust in the aviation system.”

Airlines for America President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio said, “We are pleased to see Senator Scott and Ranking Member Cantwell’s attention to this issue. U.S. carriers have been supporting the introduction of temperature checks as an added layer of protection during this public health crisis since June. U.S. airlines have implemented multiple layers of measures to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and we continue to believe that temperature checks are a key measure in assuring the traveling public and airline employees that the federal government is prioritizing their safety and well-being.”

The Fly Safe and Healthy Act:

• Establishes a 120-day pilot program through TSA to conduct temperature checks for domestic and international passengers, individuals accompanying those passengers, crew members, and other individuals who pass through airports and airport security screening locations.
  • The pilot program ensures airlines allow passengers who are prohibited from flying because they have a fever or as a result of a secondary medical screening to reschedule or cancel the flight at no cost.
  • The pilot program includes policies to exempt individuals who may have an elevated body temperature unrelated to COVID-19.
• Within 90 days after the completion of the pilot program, requires TSA and necessary agencies to create a policy for deploying a temperature check program at airports and airport security screening locations through the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency for domestic and international passengers.
• Requires airlines to provide the following information to passengers about traveling during a public health emergency:
  • Relevant guidelines relating to safe traveling in air transportation;
  • A message discouraging any individual who has a fever from traveling in air transportation; and
  • A notification that each passenger and any individual accompanying a passenger into the sterile area of the airport will undergo a temperature check if the pilot program established under section 3 is in effect in that airport.

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