Published: October 29, 2026
Major airline groups are urging the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reconsider new Ebola-related declaration requirements for international flights to the United States, warning that the short implementation period could create significant operational costs and disruption.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airlines for America have sent separate letters asking the CDC to review the measure before it takes effect on November 3, 2026. The rule requires covered passengers and aircraft crew to sign a declaration confirming that they have not been present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the previous 21 days.
The CDC says the measure is intended to reduce the risk of Ebola entering the United States. However, airline representatives argue that the deadline leaves insufficient time to update check-in systems, introduce declaration procedures and train staff across international networks.
What Are Airlines Asking the CDC to Change?
In letters reported by Reuters on October 29, IATA and Airlines for America questioned the timing and scope of the new requirement.
IATA, which represents more than 370 airlines in over 130 countries, said airlines had less than two weeks to make the necessary changes. Its concerns include collecting declarations from passengers and crew, updating digital check-in processes and adapting procedures at airports worldwide.
Airlines for America, which represents major US carriers including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines, described the plan as difficult to implement within the available timeframe.
The group also called for exemptions for categories including crew members, US military personnel and jumpseat travellers. These are requests from the airline industry, not exemptions that the CDC has confirmed.
What Does the CDC Order Require?
The CDC issued its original order on October 22 and published an amended order on October 28 to clarify that the requirement also applies to crew members.
Beginning at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on November 3, 2026, people covered by the order must sign a paper or digital declaration confirming that they have not been present in the DRC during the 21 days before boarding a flight to the United States.
The requirement applies to international flights arriving in or connecting through the United States. The amended order also covers crew operating passenger and cargo aircraft, as well as crew travelling in a positioning capacity, commonly known as deadheading.
According to the CDC's technical instructions, airlines and aircraft operators must verify that covered passengers have completed the declaration before boarding. They must not board a passenger who has failed to provide the required document unless that person has a government-issued exemption.
Airlines must retain passenger declarations for at least 42 days after the flight arrives in the United States and provide them to US authorities upon request.
The rule also applies to general aviation and private aircraft destined for the United States. It does not apply to an aircraft that merely overflies US territory without landing.
Why Airlines Say the Deadline Is Difficult
Airlines operate check-in and boarding systems across multiple countries, airports and technology platforms. Introducing a new declaration process can require changes to online check-in, airport kiosks, staff workflows and procedures for passengers who need assistance completing the form.
Carriers may also need to establish processes for collecting and securely retaining declarations, including digital signatures or electronic confirmations.
Airlines for America cited US Customs and Border Protection figures showing that approximately 130 million air passengers were screened in 2025, while fewer than 25,000 had a connection to the DRC.
The group used those figures to question whether a declaration process covering a very large volume of air travel was proportionate to the number of travellers connected to the affected country. The figures alone, however, do not determine the public-health risk or the effectiveness of the CDC's policy.
Why the Rule Focuses on Air Travel
IATA also questioned why the declaration requirement applies to air travellers rather than introducing an equivalent process for people entering the United States by sea or land.
The association argued that the measure places a particular administrative burden on airlines and aircraft operators. The CDC's stated objective is to reduce the risk of Ebola being introduced into the country by people who may have been exposed during recent travel.
The declaration is separate from existing restrictions affecting certain travellers who have recently been in Ebola-affected countries. It does not replace other entry requirements or individual public-health measures.
The Ebola Outbreak Behind the Measures
The declaration requirement forms part of the US public-health response to the 2026 outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease associated with the DRC.
The CDC says the declaration is intended to help prevent the introduction and spread of Ebola in the United States. Earlier measures restricted entry for certain travellers who had recently been in the DRC, while additional restrictions applied to some non-US citizens who had travelled to Uganda or South Sudan.
Bundibugyo virus disease is a serious illness caused by a virus in the Ebola family. Public-health responses can include identifying cases, monitoring contacts and assessing travel histories to reduce the possibility of international transmission.
The airline groups' request concerns how the new declaration process should be implemented. It does not mean that the CDC has withdrawn its public-health order.
What Should Travellers Do?
Passengers planning to fly to the United States on or after the effective date should check their airline's instructions before travelling and be prepared to complete any required declaration.
Anyone who has been physically present in the DRC during the previous 21 days should consult official CDC guidance before making travel arrangements. The order restricts boarding for covered passengers who cannot truthfully provide the required declaration, unless they have an applicable government-issued exemption.
Travellers should not assume that a connection through a US airport is outside the rule. The CDC explicitly includes international flights connecting through the United States.
Airlines may update their procedures as the implementation date approaches. Passengers should follow current instructions from their carrier and consult the CDC for authoritative guidance.
Will the CDC Change the Deadline?
As of October 29, the airline groups had asked the CDC to reconsider the measure, but no official decision to postpone or withdraw the requirement had been announced in the sources reviewed for this report.
The CDC's amended order dated October 28 confirms that the requirement includes crew members. Airlines therefore face a November 3 implementation deadline unless the agency announces a further change.
The dispute highlights the challenge of introducing rapid public-health measures across a global aviation network, where passenger documentation, crew procedures and airport systems must work together across multiple jurisdictions.
Sources and Official Guidance
- Reuters — Airline groups urge US CDC to reconsider Ebola declaration requirements
- US CDC — Official attestation order and implementation instructions
- Federal Register — Published CDC order and legal requirements
- US CDC — Information for travellers returning from Ebola-affected areas
Flight Travel News will continue monitoring official announcements affecting international airline operations and US travel requirements.