KEY POINTS
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Airlines want the CDC to reconsider Ebola travel declarations due from November 3.
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Industry groups warn compliance could cost millions and disrupt airline operations.
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The rules require US-bound passengers and crew to declare they have not visited the DRC in the past 21 days.
Major airline groups have urged the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reconsider new Ebola screening requirements for passengers and crew travelling to the country, warning that the measures could be costly and difficult to implement before their scheduled start on November 3.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airlines for America made the request in separate letters to the CDC, arguing that airlines have insufficient time to update their systems and procedures to comply with the new rules.
The requirements are intended to prevent people exposed to Ebola from entering the United States amid an outbreak linked to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Airlines question implementation deadline
Under the new order, all passengers and crew members on flights bound for the United States must submit digital or paper declarations confirming they have not been in the DRC during the previous 21 days.
IATA, which represents more than 370 airlines across over 130 countries, said the short notice made the requirements unreasonable. The association warned that airlines would need to modify check-in systems, introduce procedures for collecting declarations and train staff within a limited period.
Airlines for America also described the plan as impractical, saying changes involving check-in systems, digital signatures, airport procedures and employee training could not easily be completed before the deadline.
The group called on the CDC to adopt a more proportionate response that would protect public health without placing excessive pressure on airlines and travellers.
The CDC had not immediately responded to Reuters’ request for comment as of Wednesday, October 28.
Airlines warn of high compliance costs
Airlines for America said the new measures could impose significant costs on carriers serving the US market. Industry groups warned that collecting declarations from more than 10 million monthly air travellers could require substantial operational changes.
The organisation also cited figures showing that US Customs and Border Protection screened about 130 million air passengers in 2025, but fewer than 25,000 had a connection to the DRC.
Airlines for America urged the CDC to exempt crew members, US military personnel and travellers occupying jump seats, which are commonly used by airline employees travelling for operational purposes.
The group argued that applying the requirements to these categories would add unnecessary administrative work and financial pressure.
IATA also questioned why the declaration requirement applied to air travel but did not cover maritime and surface transportation. The association said the government should explain why other forms of transport were excluded if it considered the risk of Ebola entering the country serious enough to justify a global process.
US has expanded Ebola travel restrictions
The latest requirements follow earlier measures introduced by the CDC in response to the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.
In May, the agency introduced restrictions affecting foreign airline passengers who had been in the DRC during the preceding three weeks. The restrictions were extended to US citizens in July.
The CDC has also barred foreign nationals who had travelled to Uganda or South Sudan within the previous 21 days from entering the United States as part of its broader Ebola response.
The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which reportedly spread undetected for months before the outbreak was declared in May 2026.
The strain is estimated to kill about half of those infected, and there is no approved treatment or vaccine specifically available for it, according to the report.
Outbreak raises international health concerns
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has reported about 4,700 deaths linked to the outbreak across Africa, according to Reuters.
The airline groups’ objections centre on how the United States can enforce its travel restrictions without imposing excessive costs and operational difficulties on carriers.
With the November 3 deadline approaching, the CDC faces pressure to reconsider the scope and implementation of the declarations. The proposed changes would affect airlines operating international services to the United States, as well as millions of passengers and crew members.
