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Delta Approved Congressmen for Flight After Possible COVID-19 Exposure

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Three Minnesota Republican congressmen came under fire over the weekend for flying Delta days after their possible exposure to COVID-19 from campaign events with President Donald Trump. But according to an internal memo obtained by Thrifty Traveler, Delta knew the three lawmakers had potentially been exposed to coronavirus and cleared them to fly after a health assessment.

Reps. Pete Stauber, Jim Hagedorn, and Tom Emmer flew from Washington, D.C. (DCA) to Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) on Friday evening, less than a day after Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19. The three Republican congressmen had joined Trump for a rally in Minnesota earlier that week and joined the president on Air Force One.

Their decision to fly commercial the same day Trump tested positive caused an uproar. Though all three congressmen defended the flight by saying they had limited contact with the president and tested negative prior to the flight, the potential for initial false test results soon after exposure raised the prospect that they could have unwittingly brought the virus onboard.

Delta's safety policies explicitly state: “Customers who have knowingly been exposed to COVID-19 in the past 14 days may not travel.” The airline defines exposure as face-to-face contact with an infected individual or 15-plus minutes of sustained contact within six feet of an infected person. Delta also requires all travelers checking in for their flights to certify they will wear a mask; have not experienced any COVID-19 symptoms; and have not been diagnosed with or exposed to COVID-19 in the last 14 days.

As outrage over the flight to Minnesota simmered, it was unclear whether Delta knew Reps. Stauber, Emmer – or if they misled the airline in order to fly home. In the memo, Delta confirmed that they were aware of the possible exposure before the flight and subjected the congressmen to additional screening.

“Anytime we are made aware of a potential health exposure, we have additional screening processes we implement with our partners at Stat-MD,” Delta wrote. “In this case, our medical partners at Stat-MD conducted additional screening measures including assessing symptoms, distance and time spent with the individual, and whether the individual has been asked by a health official to quarantine.”

“All of these conditions were met or the customers would not have been able to depart on the flight,” Delta concluded.

 

 

Stat-MD is Delta's health care provider, the same service it uses to perform health assessments for flyers who claim a medical exemption from the airline's mask mandate. Those assessments involve a virtual consultation with a doctor.

Flight records show that the Friday evening flight departed more than 1 hour 20 minutes late, and Delta previously confirmed to The Associated Press that the plane was held until it was cleared to fly.

Delta defended its safety and health policies and the decision to let the congressmen fly.

“The assessment included symptom screening, gauging the distance and time the customer may have been in close contact with an individual who is COVID positive, and whether the individual has been asked by a health official to quarantine,” a spokesman said in a statement. “These three measures (symptoms, distance/time and quarantine) make up our policy and are consistent with CDC’s guidelines for exposure.”

In the midst of a coronavirus pandemic that has now infected the president, First Lady Melania Trump, and a growing count of the president's inner circle, the episode risks tarnishing a safety-first image Delta has sought to put front and center. Delta is blocking middle seats on all flights through early January 2021, has touted its strenuous new cleaning procedures, and has steadily strengthened its mask requirements in flight.
 

Delta check-in procedure
Delta's check-in process requires flyers they have not been exposed to COVID-19

The airline has also proudly claimed it has banned more than 350 flyers for failing to wear a mask – including some top-tier Diamond Medallion flyers.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for more updates. 

 

Lead photo courtesy of Chris Lundberg via Flickr.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

9 Responses

  • Just shows how much these politicians don’t care about anyone but themselves. And even delta. It’s all about themselves and money.

  • Delta has spent the past 7 months positioning themselves to be the safest and most responsible airline to consider flying during a pandemic.
    It went up in smoke Friday night. All lost and for what? To let three selfish Trump republicans fly home.
    What a stupid country. We deserve what we’ve got coming to us.

  • I’ve been talking with friends & family about flying Delta because of their safety procedures… not happy about that now! If I answered yes to the “may have been exposed to covid” question, they certainly wouldn’t hold the plane for me & inconvenience other flyers!! Just the usual political BS… I’m Platinum on Delta & a Million Miler to boot & I’m reconsidering flying them. They are usually more expensive that other airlines but I’ve been willing to pay more for safety & cleanliness.

  • It sounds as if Delta did ensure that the risk was minimal before allowing them to fly by verifying very limited contact with the President and requiring negative tests. This cancel culture is getting out of hand at this point.

  • Seriously people – if you have flown in the past 8 months, you likely have flown with people that have either been exposed to Covid or have it and you never knew it. In this case, Delta was advised about it and they took all the precautions they should have. You made a story out of nothing. Maybe you should stick to travel deals instead of showing your bias.

    • There’s no bias here, Lucy. We will keep sending travel deals and giving people the information we think they should know to make informed travel choices. Feel free to make your own.

      • “Though all three congressmen defended the flight by saying they had limited contact with the president and tested negative prior to the flight, the potential for initial false test results soon after exposure raised the prospect that they could have unwittingly brought the virus onboard.”

        They had a negative test. End of story – actually not even a story. People have been on planes who have not been tested and could be/are positive. Is that a story?

  • To Lucy: The people who work at Thriftytraveler have not given up their right to have an opinion and to express it. Besides, in my years reading them, I’ve seen consistently that they research and check their facts in order to post reliable information. Your comment that they “should stick to travel deals…” is out of place and you are out of order, just because you don’t agree or don’t like what they are saying. And since you are so focused on bias, maybe you should take a through look at your own, and be willing to correct course where needed. And it has to be stated repeatedly until we get it: The reason the pandemic has gotten this bad is due to cavalier attitudes, greed, and a lack of care and concern for others.

    • Wow – I am out of place AND out of order 😂. I have also not given up my right to have an opinion and express it. You don’t know me so you have no idea if any course correction is needed.

      Greed has nothing to do with the pandemic. I would agree with lack of concern for others as a cause as our governor has murdered over 1,500 seniors by bringing Covid positive people into long term care facilities.

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