Delta CEO Won’t Use Term ‘Vaccine Passports’ Due to Connotation

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said the airline will require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations before several international flights, but refuses to call it a “vaccine passport.”

According to Yahoo Finance Live, Bastian said that while Delta would still require “digital proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results”— often called vaccine passports—the airline won’t use that terminology, as it “carries too many connotations.”

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Instead of focusing on the so-called vaccine passports, the CEO said the carrier is “more focused on a credential, travel credential, if you will, to indicate that you've been vaccinated and or tested based on the regulatory requirements.”

Delta is already announcing new routes for travelers who have received their full coronavirus vaccination. The airline revealed it would launch nonstop flights to Iceland from three cities in the U.S. for travelers who provide proof of receiving the vaccine.

“We know our customers are eager to safely get back out into the world, including exploring one of the globe’s most beautiful outdoor destinations,” Delta senior vice president Joe Esposito said last month. “As confidence in travel rises, we hope more countries continue reopening to vaccinated travelers, which mean more opportunities to reconnect customers to the people and places that matter most.”

The carrier is also making changes to accommodate for the rise in vaccinated domestic travelers, as Delta announced last month it would no longer block middle seats on its aircraft, starting May 1.

The airline also revealed earlier this week it would reintroduce food and beverage service to all flights with a new set of processes and protocols.