Anyone flying to the United States next month may need one more document besides a passport. Airline groups are now urging the US CDC to reconsider the Ebola declaration requirements before they take effect on 3 November.
What the rule says
The CDC issued the order on 22 October. From 23:59 Eastern time on 3 November, every passenger on a US-bound international flight must complete a signed paper or digital attestation. They must confirm they have not been in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the previous 21 days, the maximum Ebola incubation period. The rule applies to US citizens, permanent residents, foreign visitors and people connecting through US airports.
Airlines must check each form before boarding and refuse anyone without one. They must also keep the forms for at least 42 days and hand them over to US authorities on request. False statements can carry criminal penalties. Limited exemptions exist for flights carrying authorised Ebola patients and for people the CDC exempts on humanitarian or other grounds.
Why the industry is uneasy
The order applies to every operator, from major airlines to charters and private jets. Aviation analysts have called it burdensome and expected pushback from trade bodies. Carriers have only days to add the declaration to check-in systems, train staff and handle disputes at the gate.
What it means for African travellers
The declaration covers passengers from anywhere in the world, not only from Africa. That is a notable shift from the earlier restrictions the US placed on travellers from the DRC. Still, Africans flying to the US, including students, traders and families, may face extra questions and delays at the airport.
The outbreak behind all this is serious. Africanews reports it has passed 10,000 cases, mostly in the DR Congo. Many Africans fear that fear itself, more than the virus, will keep travellers, goods and visitors from moving freely.
If you plan to fly to the US after 3 November, check your airline’s instructions early and keep your completed form handy. Whether the CDC bends before then is still unclear.
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