Southwest CEO exams optimistic for Covid after unmasked Senate listening to with different airline chiefs

Southwest Airways CEO Gary Kelly has examined optimistic for Covid-19, the corporate stated Friday. The information got here after a Senate listening to wherein he and different airline chiefs and lawmakers weren’t carrying masks.

Kelly, together with the CEOs of United Airways and American Airways, Delta Air Traces’ chief of operations, and the president of the nation’s largest flight attendant union testified for greater than three hours on the Senate Commerce Committee listening to Wednesday afternoon about $54 billion in federal payroll help airways took to climate the pandemic.

“Though testing unfavourable a number of instances previous to the Senate Commerce Committee Listening to, Gary examined optimistic for COVID-19 after returning dwelling, experiencing delicate signs, and taking a PCR check,” a Southwest spokeswoman stated in an announcement. “Gary is doing properly and at the moment resting at dwelling, he has been absolutely vaccinated and acquired the booster earlier this 12 months. Gary’s signs proceed to be delicate, and every day he’s shifting nearer to a full restoration.”

Delta’s chief of operations, John Laughter, who testified within the listening to on Wednesday and sat two seats away from Kelly, examined unfavourable Thursday and Friday.

“He’ll proceed to check and take different precautions as essential,” the airline stated in an announcement.

American and United did not instantly remark.

Air journey demand collapsed when the pandemic started however has since recovered, largely due to home leisure journeys. Executives from Delta and United this week stated they’re gearing up busy year-end vacation season, regardless of the unfold of the omicron variant.

Senators questioned witnesses on current flight disruptions, airways’ hiring hassle, 5G, in addition to vaccine mandates.