Flight attendants at United Airlines will now have to carry a thermometer around with them whenever they are on duty after the airline declared the item a mandatory item of uniform. Not that flight attendants will be trying to use the thermometers on anyone apart from themselves… United is issuing thousands of the devices so its crew members can carry out self-conducted health assessments up to twice a day in an attempt to identify possible COVID-19 symptoms as early as possible.
Since the start of June, every flight attendant across the United States has been subject to a mandate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordering crew members to conduct such health assessments. The FAA guidance suggests flight attendants take their own temperature but United has gone one better and made sure flight attendants have no excuse for not being able to follow the guidelines.
Although flight attendants have been carrying out self-conducted health assessments since the start of June, the requirement for United’s flight attendants to carry a thermometer around with them only came into force on Wednesday.
Prior to reporting for duty, flight attendants will be asked to assess their general health over the last 48-hours. If a flight attendant has felt even mildly sick or reports a temperature of over 100℉ then they’ll need to stay home and report sick. On a duty day, flight attendants will need to take their temperature twice a day and if feverish must get in contact with their in-flight duty manager as soon as possible.
Along with the thermometer, face masks remain a required duty item for United’s flight attendants.
