Airline Groups Challenge US CDC's Ebola Attestation Requirements Ahead of 3 November Deadline
Two major airline industry groups have urged the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reconsider new rules requiring all US-bound travellers to attest they have not been in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the prior 21 days. In separate letters reviewed by Reuters, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airlines for America warned that the requirements, set to take effect on 3 November, are operationally unworkable given the implementation timeline of under two weeks. Airlines for America, whose members include United, American, Southwest and Delta, noted that while US Customs and Border Protection screened approximately 130 million air passengers in 2025, fewer than 25,000 had any connection to the DRC.
The CDC order requires all US-bound passengers and crew to file digital or paper attestations as part of measures to prevent the importation of Ebola, following an outbreak declared in May 2026 involving the Bundibugyo strain, which carries an approximately 50% fatality rate and has no approved treatment or vaccine. The outbreak has so far killed around 4,700 people across Africa, according to the Africa CDC. Airlines for America called for exemptions for crew members, US military personnel and jumpseat travellers, while IATA questioned why the attestation requirement was limited to air travel and did not extend to maritime and surface transport. The CDC had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
Source: CNBC Africa
