Three Recent Delta Air Passengers Test Positive For Coronavirus, Company Says

Three passengers on a recent Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Albany, New York, have tested positive for COVID-19, the company said Monday.

“We have been made aware of three customers who tested positive for COVID-19 and recently traveled on Endeavor Air from Atlanta to Albany," a statement from Delta spokesperson Kate Modolo said. Endeavor Air is owned by Delta.

"We are working with local officials and following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s protocol in their outreach to customers and employees. Customer and crew health and safety are our top priority," the statement continued.

The three people flew on the airline on July 6, and became symptomatic on July 7, according to a Facebook post from the Rensselaer County government in New York. In total, 44 passengers were on that Albany-Atlanta flight.

"Any passengers on the flight are advised to call their home county health department," the Facebook post said.

Delta has taken precautions to ensure that passengers do not get infected by COVID-19. The company has made face masks mandatory for all passengers, with some exemptions, such as when eating or drinking. Delta has also restricted seating to 60% capacity in the main cabin and 50% in first class through Sept. 30.

Two of Delta’s competing airlines, United and American, require that passengers wear masks, but have no longer put capacity limits on flights. United will notify customers if their flight is full 24 hours prior to boarding and will give them the opportunity to receive travel credit or book a different flight.

The airline industry has been hard-hit by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Delta’s July schedule, for example, is 65% smaller than in 2019, while United has suggested it could furlough as many as 36,000 employees.

As part of the CARES Act stimulus package passed in March, $25 billion was made in federal assistance to passenger air carriers amid the pandemic. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, more than 3.3 million Americans have contracted COVID-19, with the virus having killed more than 135,000 in the U.S.