ATLANTA — The CEO of Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines said masks are important in the fight against COVID-19.
Ed Bastian told CNBC that he believes masks will be important for some time. The comments come after Southwest Airlines’ CEO told senators at a hearing that masks are not necessary.
“I don’t know that I agree with Gary’s remarks, particularly as we see Omicron continue to enter into our country,” Bastian said. “Masks are going to be important as a safeguard for a while yet.”
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For now, masks on planes are required by the Department of Transportation.
This month, the AAA forecast that more than 109 million people will travel 50 miles or more during the holiday season between December 23 and January 2. Airlines, according to AAA, will see a 184% increase from last year.
An analysis Tuesday of data from South Africa, where the new variant is driving a surge in infections, suggests the Pfizer vaccine offers less defense against infection from omicron and reduced, but still good, protection from hospitalization.
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The findings are preliminary and have not been peer-reviewed — the gold standard in scientific research — but they line up with other early data about omicron’s behavior, including that it seems to be more easily spread from person to person.
Delta reported a $1.2 billion profit in its third quarter, helped by federal pandemic aid for the airline industry. The carrier lost money throughout 2020 during the pandemic and after a loss to start the year, it’s put up two profitable quarters and appears headed for another.
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Delta predicts a profit of approximately $200 million in the final quarter of the year.
Information from the Associated Press and CNN Newsource was used in this report
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