American and Southwest Airlines Reject Texas’s Ban on Vaccine Mandates

American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, citing federal requirements, said on Tuesday that they would not comply with an order from the governor of Texas barring private employers from mandating coronavirus vaccines in the state.

Gov. Greg Abbott, a strong opponent of vaccine mandates, issued the order on Monday, saying inoculation against Covid-19 should “always be voluntary for Texans.”

“We believe the federal vaccine mandate supersedes any conflicting state laws, and this does not change anything for American,” said a spokeswoman for the airline, which is based in Fort Worth. Southwest, which is based in Dallas, said it would “remain compliant” with the federal mandate.

The Greater Houston Partnership, a business group that counts Exxon Mobil, Chevron and JPMorgan Chase as members, also came out on Tuesday against Mr. Abbott’s order, saying it “does not support Texas businesses’ ability and duty to create a safe workplace.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/12/business/southwest-american-vaccine-mandate-texas.html