by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:00 AM ET, Thu February 4, 2016
Photo courtesy of Thinkstock
Several major airlines across the world are now offering to reassign flight crew members who are scheduled to travel to areas impacted by the Zika virus outbreak.
According to Jeffrey Dastin of Reuters.com, airlines in the United States and across Europe have taken a stance to defend its employees against the Zika virus, with the list of confirmed airlines reassigning employees including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Lufthansa and Air France.
Many airlines have already witnessed the impact the mosquito-borne Zika virus has on people booking flights to the impacted areas, and companies are looking out for the flight attendants, pilots and their families.
READ MORE: What You Need To Know About Zika Virus and Travel Insurance
Reuters obtained an internal memo from United Airlines dated Jan. 28 that revealed flight attendants who were currently pregnant or who were planning to become pregnant in the near future would be permitted to switch routes to avoid regions impacted by the Zika virus. Similar rules were put in place for pilots as well.
For many European carriers, safety rules state that any pregnant woman on a flight crew-attendant, pilot or otherwise-is required to switch to a ground job until they are cleared to fly once again.
READ MORE: How Travel is Reacting to Zika Virus
Lufthansa and Air France are also taking a proactive stance, permitting flight crew members who are concerned about flying to areas with confirmed cases of the Zika virus to change the flights they will be working.
Both Delta and Lufthansa told Reuters only a few employees have asked to change routes so far.
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