United: US workers must be vaccinated

United Airlines will require employees in the U.S. to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by late October, perhaps sooner, joining a rising number of big corporations that are responding to a surge in virus cases.

Company leaders called it a matter of safety and cited “incredibly compelling” evidence of the effectiveness of the vaccines.

“We know some of you will disagree with this decision to require the vaccine for all United employees,” CEO Scott Kirby and President Brett Hart told employees Friday. But, they added, “the facts are crystal clear: Everyone is safer when everyone is vaccinated.”

United, which has 67,000 employees in the United States, is the first major U.S. airline to announce it will require vaccination for workers. The airline has been requiring vaccination of new hires since mid-june. Unvaccinated workers are required to wear face masks at company offices.

The Chicago-based airline estimates that up to 90% of its pilots and close to 80% of its flight attendants are already vaccinated.

A United executive said the airline has no plans to require that passengers be vaccinated, calling that a government decision. The CEOS of Delta Air Lines and American Airlines have similarly ruled out a mandate for passengers.

United told U.S. employees Friday that they will need to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 25 or five weeks after the Food and Drug Administration grants full approval to any one vaccine — whichever date comes first. So far, the FDA has only granted emergency-use approval of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Full approval of the Pfizer vaccine is expected soon, according to published reports.