Posted on 05/23/2020 8:22:15 AM PDT by L.A.Justice
Three of the largest airlines in the U.S. may be encouraging — but not enforcing — new policies requiring face coverings for passengers in flight amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report.
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines can deny boarding at the gate to anyone not wearing a face covering, and are providing masks to those without them. The airlines unveiled new policies regarding the requirement of face coverings earlier this month.
But according to the report by Reuters, enforcement inside the plane becomes more lax.
“Once on board and off the gate, the face covering policy becomes more lenient. The flight attendant’s role is informational, not enforcement, with respect to the face covering policy,” American told its pilots in an explanation of its policy, according to Reuters. “A passenger on board your aircraft who is being compliant with the exception of wearing a face covering is NOT considered disruptive enough to trigger a Threat Level 1 response.”
All three airlines have allowed exemptions on their face covering policies for young children and people with medical conditions or disabilities. The policies also do not apply while a passenger is eating or drinking.
American confirmed it requires customers to wear a face covering while on board, but did not disclose whether flight attendants continue to enforce the policy while in flight.
“The safety and well-being of our customers and team members is our highest priority. American, like other U.S. airlines, requires customers to wear a face covering while on board, and this requirement is enforced at the gate while boarding,” a spokesperson said. “We also remind customers with announcements both during boarding and at departure.”
Delta said it has a similar policy.
“Customers are required to wear face coverings beginning in the check-in lobby, and across Delta touchpoints including Delta Sky Clubs, in jet bridges and on board for the duration of the flight – except during the food and beverage service. A face mask is required to begin the boarding process, and also strongly encouraged in high-traffic areas including security lines and restrooms,” a Delta spokesperson said.
United Airlines could not immediately be reached for comment, but a representative for the carrier echoed a similar sentiment to Reuters regarding the enforcement of masks for passengers.
A United spokesperson told the outlet that any non-compliance by travelers would be addressed at the gate and that flight attendants had been counseled to use their “de-escalation skills” on the aircraft. They would also re-seat any passengers as needed.
The International Air Transport Association, a trade group for global airlines, recommended last week that everyone wear masks while on board a flight. The Federal Aviation Administration said it expects airlines to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has recommended that everyone wear face coverings when in public, but hasn’t mandated such measures.
Unions for airline workers have called for more coordination from the federal government on the issue.
“Airlines are implementing policies on the fly with essentially no coordination or direction from the federal government,” Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, told Reuters. The union represents nearly 50,000 flight attendants at 19 airlines.
“We need federal requirements that mitigate risk during this pandemic and put the safety of crews and the traveling public first.”
I don't think it is realistic for pilots to make emergency landings to kick out passengers who refuse to wear mask...
Then it’ll be up the seat mates to start the fight or at least socially shame the miscreant not wearing a mask. HOW DARE YOU! Or, ‘If you can’t decide to wear a mask or not, you ain’t black!’
The flight attendants union thinks the passengers are cattle. The airlines are the only industry where complaining about the service is considered a “threat”, and they’re part of that insanity.
The Plandemic has driven higher value passengers to the fractionals and that’s a good thing. They won’t go back to being wards of the soda servers now that they’ve seen the other side.
The rest of us...probably oughta buy a nice cross country sedan, and use Webex for everything else.
If you’re nervous and think it will help- or if you have a cough or a runny nose - wear one, otherwise don’t. But at least get a real one. These silly little masks they’re handing out do virtually nothing (Except in the case of people actively coughing or sneezing, where they partially block the droplets) and are all psychological, so people who are truly terrified should invest in a real mask.
Next, President Trump is seen on viral video on Air Force One without a mask. A regulation was violated. Dems impeach and remove him from office.
When was the last time an exaggeration about the crazy Dem ploys was wrong ? Schiff probably has a laptop bookmark for that strategy right now.
Every person I see at the grocery store not wearing a mask, I walk up to them and thank them. They always smile.
I have a voucher from Southwest for a cancelled flight. If they require masks when I go to use it, I’ll demand my money back. I don’t need to sit next to a miniature pony either.
“Wear the mask or you ain’t black”
ATTICA. ...ATTICA. ...
If I were flying now I would wear a mask and I’d hope others onboard would too. To promote that, the airline should offer a mask to anyone who showed up without one. If the person won’t put it on, maybe they shouldn’t be allowed to board.
I don’t think as a passenger I should start a row if another passenger took their mask off during a flight or that the plane should land instead of finishing the flight.
I was thinking of just getting some makeup and paint a mask on my face. ....hehehe. ...
Hah! Might start a fad...and it would probably be about as effective.
If ia am wearing a mask it protects you from me. And vice versa. A plane is one of the places where I would probably wear one. I don’t need anyone “requiring” me to do anything.
I’ve sat next to enough nasty people on planes to have thought about masking up decades ago.
You do what you want. I don’t say that in a hateful way, but in a “you make your own call” way.
The airlines are currently in an existential threat position. With 96% of their business wiped out, few will remain in a few months. Several will merge to try to stay alive. Adding any stupidity to the mix is just asking to be gone.
If someone wants to wear a mask, OK, but no one else needs to since that magical mask protects them. The rest of us do not need to participate in someone else’s nosophobia.
Good news!
“If ia am wearing a mask it protects you from me.”
If you think your magical mask protects you then wear one, but stop trying to make that judgement for the rest of us. We don’t want to participate in your nosophobia about COVID-19.
If two or three layers can keep in gas passing, a mask ain’t gonna keep a virus in or out. Unless we start slapping HEPA filters to our mugs.
Ya know, with all this drama about mask-wearing and social distancing and passengers who demand those things and passengers who hate those things, commercial air travel is going be even more of a sh-tshow than it already was. And it was already a pretty big one.
Just ran the numbers. Last six years, I’ve averaged slightly more than 3 flights per year. I think I can pretty easily cut that number to 0. There’s nowhere I really need to be that I can’t drive to. So maybe I’m out. Not great news for the airlines if a fair number of others just say, “Forget it.”
If you aren’t wearing mask on a plane it makes me want to wear one to protect me from you.
I have joined the “no fly” club for the next couple of years—unless I am offered a flight on a private jet.... :-)
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