Questions and Answers about Zika for the Airline Industry and Partners

The risk of a person being infected with Zika during air travel is very low because few adult mosquitoes are found on board commercial flights. To date, there have been no documented cases of a person being infected with Zika during commercial air travel.

No. There are no travel restrictions for people who may have Zika. Air crew should keep in mind that sick travelers from countries with Zika could have other infectious diseases and follow routine infection control precautions.

Airline staff should follow normal procedures for reporting in-flight illnesses according to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations [42 CFR 70.11 and 71.21]. Updated CDC regulations do not affect, nor is CDC is requesting from airlines, any additional reporting of sick travelers who may have Zika.

State and territorial health departments report probable and confirmed cases of Zika in their jurisdictions to CDC as part of domestic surveillance.

No. CDC is not conducting enhanced entry screening for travelers coming from areas with Zika. Because most people who have Zika do not have symptoms, entry screening will not prevent imported cases.

CDC’s travel notices for Zika include a recommendation that people traveling from areas with Zika, even if they are not sick, take steps to prevent mosquito bites for 3 weeks after arriving in the United States to reduce the chance that they might spread the virus to local mosquitoes. Men who have been in an area with Zika should use condoms to protect their sex partners.

No. CDC does not require or recommend disinsection of aircraft from areas with Zika. For more information visit the Zika vector control page.

No. CDC does not conduct disinsection, provide certificates of disinsection, or have access to a list of disinsection contractors or services.

Airlines should follow guidance from countries that require disinsection regarding the required delivery method and frequency. The aircraft captain should provide the ICAO General Aircraft Declaration to authorities at destination to declare that disinsection has been completed. Some countries may require that their own staff conduct disinsection.