The White House is pressuring an air carrier to require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19

American airlines Alaska Airlines and JetBlue have joined the country’s giant United Airlines and intend to demand that their staff be vaccinated against COVID-19, with US President Joe Biden’s administration stepping up pressure on major carriers to comply. Jeffrey Zients, a White House adviser, spoke to executives at American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines about the vaccination requirement, according to three sources familiar with the issue.Airlines are large employers and are therefore subject to a presidential decree requiring employees of companies with more than 100 employees to be vaccinated or tested weekly for coronavirus . They also provide services to the government and are therefore required to vaccinate employees by 8 December. Alaska Airlines and JetBlue Airways announced on Friday that they intend to require employees to be vaccinated by that date. “This means that workers will no longer be able to choose to be tested regularly and wear protective masks instead of vaccinations,” Alaska Airlines told staff . Another giant, Delta, meanwhile, said it was still appreciating Mr Biden’s order. The airline has previously announced that it will require staff to be vaccinated or have tests done weekly, and will impose additional fees on those who do not. This decision would be in line with Mr Biden’s instructions for large employers, but not for stricter rules for federal government suppliers. United Airlines, the second-largest U.S. airline, announced Thursday that it will lay off 320 workers out of 67,000 U.S. workers who refuse to be vaccinated or have not applied for exemptions for medical or religious reasons. American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, meanwhile, said they were examining Mr Biden’s order. Both companies face pressure from pilots’ unions not to require vaccinations but to offer options, including research. White House adviser’s conversations with airline executives were reported to Reuters a little earlier .At least two members of Congress – California Democrat Senator Diane Feinstein and House Democrat Don Beyer – have proposed that passengers on domestic flights be vaccinated or report a negative COVID-19 test before the flight. Anthony Fauci, the US government’s chief infectious disease specialist, supports the idea, and travelers arriving in the country should report a negative COVID-19 test before flying. Mr Biden’s administration did not reject this idea, which is fiercely opposed by the airlines.