Delta set to launch contact tracing system in the U.S.

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Delta has decided to join hands with the Centres for Disease Control & Prevention to keep international customers informed of potential COVID-19 exposure through contact tracing. Along with nine global airline partners, the carrier is working with government agencies, health officials and aviation authorities to offer safer travel at every point in a journey.

Beginning December 15, Delta will become the first United States-based airline to ask customers travelling to the country from an international location to voluntarily provide five pieces of data to aid contact tracing and public health follow-up efforts. The data will include full name, email and address in the United States, as well as two phone numbers.

As a part of the process, Delta is working with the CDC to streamline contact-tracing efforts by directly and securely transmitting the five requested customer data points. This will give the CDC access to the data in moments, dramatically decreasing the time it takes to notify affected customers via local health departments. Health authorities can help reduce instances of potential exposure and slow the spread of the virus by connecting with customers more quickly and providing public health follow-up.

Bill Lentsch, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Delta said in a statement that independent studies have shown that the many layers of protection Delta has already put in place are effectively minimising the risk of COVID-19 transmission, and contact tracing will add one more important layer to the efforts to ensure safety throughout travel. He shared that the airline wants customers to feel safe when they return to travel, and the voluntary program is another way additional reassurance can be provided to customers and employees alike.

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