Southwest CEO tests positive for Covid days after unmasked Senate hearing with other airline chiefs

Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly has examined constructive for Covid-19, the corporate stated Friday. The information got here after a Senate listening to through which he and different airline chiefs and lawmakers weren’t sporting masks.

Kelly, together with the CEOs of United Airlines and American Airlines, Delta Air Lines‘ 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 adverse a number of occasions previous to the Senate Commerce Committee Listening to, Gary examined constructive for COVID-19 after returning house, experiencing delicate signs, and taking a PCR take a look at,” a Southwest spokeswoman stated in a press release. “Gary is doing nicely and at present resting at house, he has been totally vaccinated and acquired the booster earlier this yr. 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 adverse Thursday and Friday.

“He’ll proceed to check and take different precautions as crucial,” the airline stated in a press release.

American and United didn’t instantly remark.

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

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