Delta is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to keep international customers informed of potential Covid-19 exposure through contact tracing. Along with nine global airline partners, Delta is working with government agencies, health officials and aviation authorities to offer a safe travel experience.
As of December 15th, Delta will become the first US-based airline to ask customers traveling to the US to voluntarily provide five pieces of information to aid contact tracing and public health follow-up efforts, including:
- Full name
- Email address
- Address in the US
- Primary and secondary phone numbers
Delta is working with the CDC to streamline contact-tracing efforts by directly and securely transmitting the five requested customer data points to the CDC via US Customs and Border Protection. This will give the CDC quick access to data, which could decrease the time it takes to notify affected customers via local health departments.
We want customers to feel safe when they return to travel, and this voluntary program is another way we can provide additional reassurance to customers and employees alike
Bill Lentsch, Delta’s Chief Customer Experience Officer
“We want customers to feel safe when they return to travel, and this voluntary program is another way we can provide additional reassurance to customers and employees alike.”
Customers and those in their itinerary can voluntarily participate in Delta’s contact-tracing program if they are:
- Flying on any Delta operated flight
- A foreign national and/or a US passport holder traveling to the United States as their final destination
By implementing this tracing method health authorities hope to reduce instances of potential exposure and slow the spread of the virus.
Atlanta-Rome testing program
Delta also announced a partnership with the Rome Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to launch a trans-Atlantic Covid-19 testing program, which would enable quarantine-free entry into Italy.
As part of this pilot program, contact-tracing information collection will be mandatory for all customers flying to the US. This pilot and the ongoing contact-tracing efforts are crucial steps to resuming international travel safely.
