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ARCHIVED - Europe drops mask requirement on flights and in airports
The new mask-wearing regulation will come into force on May 16
The European Safety Agency (EASA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) announced on Wednesday May 11 that it will withdraw its recommendation that masks should be worn on flights and in airports. This is one of the last anti-Covid travel restrictions and the authorities hope it will alleviate at least some of the burden being faced by airlines.
The relaxation of the measure is based on the positive pandemic data across Europe, the organisations said in a statement, along with the high vaccination rates and naturally acquired immunity.
“Starting next week, face masks will no longer have to be mandatory on air travel in all cases, in line with changing public transport requirements from national authorities across Europe,” said the CEO of EASA, Patrick Ky.
He added that removing masks is a “great step” towards “normalisation” for both passengers and staff, but has urged everyone to act “responsibly” and to consider wearing masks if they develop any symptoms of coronavirus, such as coughing or sneezing.
The new recommendations on the use of masks will take effect from May 16; however, the rules will continue to vary according to airline and the destination country. The organisations have explained that flights to or from countries where masks are still required on public transport will still require mask-wearing on planes, which includes Spain for the moment, and vulnerable people should continue to wear them regardless of the rules.
Also of interest: Spain finally waves goodbye to face masks on April 20
“Although there are still risks, we have seen that non-pharmaceutical interventions and vaccines have allowed our lives to start to return to normal,” said ECDC Director Andrea Ammon, but added that the use of masks, along with social distancing and good hand hygiene are still the best defence against Covid.
“The rules and requirements of the states of origin and destination must be respected and applied consistently and operators should take care to inform passengers of the required measures,” she added.
And while passengers should still observe social distancing measures indoors whenever possible, airport operators have been advised to take a pragmatic approach: they should avoid imposing social distancing if they are likely to lead to a bottleneck or passenger injury, particularly if this rule is not enforced nationally.
Now read: How to get a Covid passport and How to make an appointment for a vaccination appointment or booster jab in Spain
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