A Delta Airlines passenger jet approaches landing at LAX during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Los Angeles, California, the United States, April 7, 2021.
Mike Blake | Reuters
Delta Air Lines this month ended its $200 monthly supplement to company health insurance for unvaccinated employees, ending a pandemic policy designed to encourage employees to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
CEO Ed Bastian announced the policy change at a Wednesday call where he discussed the airline’s first-quarter results and outlook.
“We have removed the additional insurance surcharge from this month because we really believe that the pandemic has shifted to a seasonal virus,” said Bastian. “Any employee who has not been vaccinated will not pay any additional insurance costs in the future.”
Delta announced last August that the policy would go into effect in November 2021. At the time, Bastian said the average hospitalization for an employee with Covid-19 Delta cost $50,000.
According to the company, more than 95% of Delta’s more than 75,000 employees have been vaccinated. It also began requiring all new hires to provide proof of vaccination.
United Airlines had the strictest vaccination policy of any US airline, requiring employees to be vaccinated or fired without exception on religious or medical grounds. Employees with accommodation would be removed from customer service, United said.
More than 96% of that airline’s approximately 67,000 US employees were vaccinated.
Last month United said it would allow unvaccinated workers who were granted an exemption to return to their regular jobs, citing a drop in Covid cases.