Southwest, American tighten mask rules; Delta widens virus testing

FILE - In this July 22, 2020 photo, a ticketing agent for Delta Airlines hands a boarding pass to a passenger as he checks in for a flight in the main terminal of Denver International Airport in Denver. .Air travel has collapsed because of the virus pandemic, and airlines are trying to convince passengers and their own employees about safety. All airlines require passengers to wear masks during flights, and most extend the rule to airports too. But some people have complained about violators refusing to keep their mask on .(AP Photo/David Zalubowski) FILE - In this July 22, 2020 photo, a ticketing agent for Delta Airlines hands a boarding pass to a passenger as he checks in for a flight in the main terminal of Denver International Airport in Denver. .Air travel has collapsed because of the virus pandemic, and airlines are trying to convince passengers and their own employees about safety. All airlines require passengers to wear masks during flights, and most extend the rule to airports too. But some people have complained about violators refusing to keep their mask on .(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

By DAVID KOENIG / AP Airlines Writer July 24, 2020 2 min read

DALLAS (AP) – Delta Air Lines will provide at-home coronavirus tests for some employees, while Southwest and American will tighten their rules on face masks by ending exceptions for medical reasons.

“We’re simply seeing too many exceptions to the (mask) policy, it has put our flight crews in a really tough spot and also made our customers pretty uncomfortable,” Southwest Airlines President Tom Nealon said Thursday.

Those moves come as airlines try to reassure passengers and their own employees about safety during a pandemic that has made many people afraid to fly.

Delta said it will expand coronavirus testing at its hub airports and provide at-home tests for employees in Florida and Texas – states that have seen a surge of virus infections and deaths in recent weeks. Reservations agents who don’t work at hubs will also get at-home tests, the airline said.

Delta has been testing employees at its Atlanta headquarters and so-called hub airports and expects to have tested all U.S. employees within the next four weeks.