Korean Air to Mandate 'Ebola Pledge' for U.S.-Bound Passengers… Boarding Restricted if Not Submitted

Korean Air will mandate the submission of an Ebola-related pledge for passengers boarding flights to the United States starting on the 4th. Passengers who do not submit the pledge or have a history of visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) within the past 21 days will be restricted from boarding.

Korean Air announced on the 3rd that, in accordance with an executive order from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it will collect Ebola-related pledges from all passengers traveling to the United States starting from flights departing at 1:59 p.m. on the 4th.

This measure is intended to prevent the introduction of the Ebola virus, which emerged in the DRC, into the United States, and applies to all U.S.-bound routes, including those to Guam and Hawaii. It covers not only U.S. citizens and permanent residents but also crew members and transit passengers traveling through the United States to a third country.

Passengers must complete a pledge confirming that they have not visited or stayed in the DRC within the past 21 days prior to boarding. Simple transits involving changing flights at airports within the DRC are included in the stay history.

Passengers with a history of visiting or staying in the DRC within the past 21 days cannot board U.S.-bound flights. Counting the day of departure from the DRC as Day 0, boarding is possible starting from Day 22 after spending a full 21 days in a region outside the United States.

The pledge must be submitted individually for each passenger, including infants and young children. Family or group travelers cannot have a representative submit it on their behalf. However, passengers who are minors under the age of 18 or have difficulty writing directly due to old age or disability may have a guardian or an authorized agent complete the form on their behalf.

The pledge can be completed in paper or electronic format and must be submitted to the airline before check-in on the day of departure.

This measure is scheduled to be implemented until December 19, based on Korean time. Korean Air plans to re-notify relevant information if guidelines from U.S. health authorities change in the future.

A Korean Air official stated, "This measure is a mandatory requirement under an executive order from U.S. health authorities, and the active cooperation of all passengers using U.S.-bound flights is needed," adding, "We will do our best to guide passengers so they can fully understand the relevant information in advance and prepare for their travel smoothly."