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Spirit Airlines CEO Ted Christie told CNBC on Friday that he’s urging all passengers and employees to get Covid shots, even though the low-cost carrier has no plans to implement vaccine requirements.

“Rising case counts with regard to the delta variant obviously is a concern for everybody,” Christie said on “Squawk Box.” The answer to that, we believe, is to get your vaccine, make sure you get out there and get vaccinated.”

Christie said the company does not have the authority to mandate vaccines for travelers, saying that he believes it’s going to be a “federal question.” Spirit, however, is still “strongly encouraging” employees to get vaccinated and use facial coverings, he said.

The CEO said Spirit implemented facial covering requirements since early in the pandemic, which remain in place today as the highly contagious delta variant drives the latest surge in Covid cases across the United States. Even though some pandemic-based restrictions are slowly returning, Christie said the “market is still open” with airlines able to operate without limitations on travel.

Spirit on Wednesday reported an adjusted second-quarter loss of 34 cents per share. That was much narrower than the 81-cent loss analysts had expected. Revenue of $859 million — a decrease of about 15% compared with the second quarter of 2019 before the pandemic — was also better than expectations. The budget airline said it ended the second quarter of this year with $2.2 billion in unrestricted cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investment securities and liquidity.

“In June 2021, we recorded our first month with adjusted net earnings since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Christie said in the company’s quarterly results press release. The Florida-based airline saw improved demand in its domestic and overseas markets as the second quarter progressed.

Spirit operates flights in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, leisure traffic has led the recovery and Spirit is a leisure-based airline, so we’re focused mostly on big leisure destinations … and that traffic has really rebounded quite quickly. We’ve had a very, very busy summer,” Christie told CNBC. 

Spirit announced early last month plans to expand into Miami International Airport later this year, adding flights to 30 cities, including New York, Cleveland and Denver. Others include service to Cali and Medellin, Colombia, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Spirit already flies out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, about 25 miles north of Miami international.

Spirit, along with American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, recently announced plans to resume hiring and add more pilots to keep up with what executives expect to be robust demand next year. 

While the pandemic led airlines to halt hiring plans and encourage thousands of employees to take buyouts, leaves of absence and other voluntary options, Christie said Spirit did not furlough any of its front-line staff.

“We were able to keep everybody intact, which put us in a good position to take advantage of the rebound we’ve seen of late. And we’re managing our cost structure very well I believe,” Christie said.

People wearing protective masks shop at a Walmart store in Hallandale Beach, Florida on May 18, 2021.

Joe Raedle | Getty Images

Walmart said Friday it will begin requiring masks for store workers in high-risk countries in the US regardless of vaccine status and effective immediately, as set in the latest CDC rankings.

Buyers are strongly advised to wear masks in stores, but it is not required, the retailer said in a memo sent to staff.

Walmart said it will add signage near the entrances to its stores and warehouse clubs to remind customers of the CDC’s revised guidelines. From here, the company will review the business mask rules on a weekly basis.

On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new recommendation calling for face masks to be worn in areas of the country where the Covid-19 virus is spreading fastest. That covers about two-thirds of all counties in the United States.

The decision came about two months after the CDC said in May that vaccinated people could do without masks. At this point, Walmart also discontinued the mask requirement for vaccinated workers and customers. The delta variant, however, pushed the cases up again and prompted the agency to reassess them.

Walmart also said the incentive for employees to get a Covid vaccine will be doubled to $ 150. Employees who have already received the $ 75 incentive will receive an additional $ 75 in their Aug. 19 paycheck, the company said on Friday.

Walmart will soon introduce a new vaccine status review process for US employees. It is planned to publish more details on this process in the future.

The big box retailer’s policy change comes just a day after Apple requires both vaccinated and unvaccinated customers and employees to wear masks in many of its stores in the United States.

Other retailers, including Macy’s and Gap, have told CNBC that they could review the new CDC guidelines and issue updated rules in the coming days.

Kroger grocery chain’s current policy requires unvaccinated workers to wear masks and requires unvaccinated customers to wear masks in stores, a spokesman said.

Publix Super Markets, which operates more than 1,100 stores primarily in the southeast, now requires its employees to wear masks at all locations regardless of their vaccination status.

The CDC’s turnaround has once again placed retailers in a difficult position. For consumers, country-specific regulations can be confusing, especially for those who have already been vaccinated and feel like they don’t need to put a mask back on. And last year, when large retail chains first introduced mask requirements, it was often branch employees who stopped monitoring bad behavior in stores.

The CDC has now warned House lawmakers that the Delta variant is as contagious as chickenpox, has a longer transmission window than the original Covid-19 strain, and can make the elderly sicker even if fully vaccinated.

“We know vaccinations are our solution to drive change,” Walmart said in the memo sent to all US employees. “We urge you to get vaccinated and we would like many more of you to be vaccinated.”

The company further emphasized that business travel should currently only be limited to “business-critical” travel.

Walmart is the largest retailer in the United States with approximately 4,700 US stores and the largest private employer with approximately 1.6 million US employees.

Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart.

Adam Jeffery | CNBC

Walmart Chief Executive Doug McMillon said Friday the retailer’s corporate staff as well as its management-level employees must be vaccinated against Covid-19 by Oct. 4, according to a memo obtained by CNBC.

The mandate applies to all home office associates, in addition to market, regional and divisional employees who work in multiple facilities, the nation’s largest private employer said.

Walmart said it will continue to monitor the situation of the health crisis to determine if it needs to change its return to work plans. As of now, the company expects staffing to be near pre-pandemic levels shortly after Labor Day.

McMillon said the company has been using a phased approach to bring workers back, only allowing limited capacity for now.

“We want to get to a place where we can use our offices and be together safely,” he said in the memo. “It’s important for our business, our culture, our speed and our innovation.”

The notice came shortly after Walmart said it would begin requiring masks for store workers in high-risk counties in the U.S. — as determined by the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rankings — regardless of vaccine status and effective immediately.

It has also doubled the incentive for staff in stores and warehouses to get a Covid vaccine, to $150. Employees who have already received the $75 incentive will receive another $75 in their paycheck dated Aug. 19, the company said Friday.

The CDC on Tuesday issued a fresh recommendation that calls for wearing face masks again in areas of the country where the Covid-19 virus is spreading the most rapidly. That covers about two-thirds of all counties in the U.S.

In this photo illustration, an Amazon logo is displayed on a smartphone with stock market percentages in the background.

SOPA pictures | LightRakete | Getty Images

Check out the companies that are making the headlines in midday trading.

Amazon – Amazon stocks fell 7.6% after the tech giant’s second-quarter report missed Wall Street’s sales estimates for the first time in three years. The company also gave poor guidance for the third quarter. However, according to Refinitiv, Amazon surpassed earnings, reporting earnings of $ 15.12 per share versus analysts’ expectations of $ 12.30 per share. The June quarter reflected the final full quarter of founder Jeff Bezos’ tenure as CEO.

Procter & Gamble – Shares in the consumer goods giant rose 2% after the company beat analysts’ expectations in its fourth quarter earnings report. P&G reported earnings of $ 1.13 per share on sales of $ 18.95 billion, while analysts expected earnings of $ 1.08 per share on sales of $ 18.41 billion . The company warned that pressures on raw material and freight costs could weigh on future profits.

Caterpillar – The industrial giant’s shares fell 2.7% even after the company reported better-than-expected earnings and sales in the second quarter. Caterpillar beat estimates by 20 cents with adjusted quarterly earnings of $ 2.60 per share, according to Refinitiv. The stock has already risen more than 12% this year.

Chevron, Exxon Mobil – Chevron and Exxon Mobil each reported quarterly earnings that exceeded analysts’ expectations, but their stocks fell. Chevron’s shares were down 0.8% and Exxon’s shares were down 2.3%.

Pinterest – The social media company’s shares fell 18.2% after Pinterest reported that the number of monthly active members shrank in the second quarter. Analysts from JPMorgan and Evercore ISI downgraded the stock after the report.

Robinhood – The shares of the newly public stock trading app ticked nearly 1% higher on its second day of trading on the Nasdaq. Robinhood lost nearly 8.4% on its IPO on Thursday after trading at the lower end of its range.

Ralph Lauren – Apparel retail stocks trended higher after US consumer spending rose 1% in June, more than expected. The latest University of Michigan consumer survey report also showed that consumer sentiment rose slightly in late July. Ralph Lauren’s stock gained approximately 3.2%. The shares of PVH – whose brands include Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein – gained 1.1%, while shares of Gap and Under Armor also rose.

Capri Holdings – Capri Holdings’ shares rose 12.5% ​​after the company reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings. Capri, whose luxury brands include Michael Kors and Versace, earned an adjusted $ 1.42 per share last quarter, well above the consensus estimate of 80 cents. Sales also exceeded forecasts and Capri has raised its annual outlook for the second time this year.

Gilead Sciences – Gilead shares fell 2.2% after the biotech company’s quarterly earnings report was ahead of estimates. On Thursday, the company reported adjusted quarterly earnings of $ 1.87 per share, 14 cents above estimates. However, sales of Gilead’s flagship HIV drug declined 2% in the quarter.

Texas Roadhouse – Texas Roadhouse shares fell 6.6%, despite the restaurant chain beating estimates 9 cents with quarterly earnings of $ 1.08 per share. However, the company believes food costs will continue to rise. Texas Roadhouse reported profits on Thursday.

Restaurant Brands International – The fast food company’s shares rose 5.1% after reporting quarterly earnings of 77 per share, which, according to Refinitiv, beat Wall Street estimates by 16 cents. Burger King’s parent company said digital sales were up 60% from the same point in time a year ago and Popeyes was the only one of its three brands to report a drop in sales in the same store.

– CNBC’s Maggie Fitzgerald, Yun Li, Jesse Pound and Tanaya Macheel contributed to the coverage

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