Overview
- The CDC issued an order that will require every passenger and crew member on international flights to the United States to confirm they have not been in the Democratic Republic of Congo within the prior 21 days, with the rule set to take effect on Nov. 3.
- Airlines must collect a paper or digital attestation before boarding, keep those forms for at least 42 days after arrival, and travelers who knowingly lie could face fines or prosecution.
- Major industry groups including Airlines for America and IATA have formally asked the CDC to delay or narrow the requirement and to exempt flight crews, U.S. military charters, and jumpseat travelers because those groups say they are already tracked by other systems.
- Airlines warn the rule is operationally burdensome and cannot be implemented on short notice given needed changes to check-in systems, digital-signature processes, station procedures and staff training, while noting that U.S. screening in 2025 found fewer than 25,000 passengers with DRC links out of about 130 million screened.
- Public-health officials point to the severity of the Bundibugyo outbreak in Africa, which has no approved vaccine or treatment and has killed roughly 4,700 people, and the CDC has not yet publicly reversed or answered the airlines' formal requests so implementation and enforcement remain contested.