No, federal law no longer requires that masks be worn in the airport or on the plane, but certain cities or states may still be requiring them at their airports. It also offers several travel-related tips on the subject including a very unique one that involves an airport shuttle. Communications to customers and in-airport signage and announcements will be updated to share that masking is now optional this may take a short period of time.". This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Alaska Airlines "Due to a judicial decision in our federal court system, the mask mandate has been overturned, which means our guests and employees have the option to wear a mask while traveling . Obviously, that wasnt going to work in the new millennium, when confusions between 1905 and 2005 could have caused programs to glitch or crash on an epic scale. April 18, 2022 After a federal judge struck down a nationwide mask requirement for airplanes, trains, buses and other public transportation on Monday, the country's largest airlines said they. Southwest Communications is sharing news with the world. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider In a statement, the airline said it "will respect anyone's decision to choose whether to wear "For our guests traveling internationally, please remember to check country-specific airport requirements before traveling.". Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Charter airline TUI says masks can be dropped for those traveling to or from England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, but flights to and from Scotland and some overseas countries, like the US, still require face coverings. Although COVID infection rates are nowhere near where they were earlier during the pandemic, they have recently gone up. Wilfredo Lee, Associated Press padding-top: 5px; } "Given travel's slow economic recovery, and in light of the improved public health metrics in the U.S. and medical advancements to prevent the worst outcomes of COVID-19, we encourage the administration to immediately remove travel requirements that no longer fit with the current environment and to set clear timelines and metrics for when others will be lifted,"the letter said. Others have disputed . Airlines began requiring masks before the government did. The controversial face mask mandate. The staff (counter and on the jet) were super cool, fun, and professional. .facebook-share-button-command--button { display: block; Except these. United said in an April 18 email to Insider that "masks are no longer required at United on domestic flights, select international flights (dependent upon the arrival country's mask requirements) or at US airports. On Monday, a Florida federal judge struck down Biden's mask rule, and most US carriers have now made them optional. Monday, April 18, 2022, 7:00 PM. #call_to_action_qdnph80bc1i, #call_to_action_oxew9f4k2gj{color:#ffffff;} A Facebook post describing multiple ways for a woman to "snag" a husband from the 1950s has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. Here are some tips. Please test for COVID-19 if you are symptomatic. For additional information, we also invite you to contact Airlines for America, our trade association, for an industry perspective on this development. 1) U.S. Dept. Please note that individual airports and municipalities may still require masks so customers and team members should continue to abide by mask rules within any facility that may require it," the airline said in a statement Monday. /* Fare chart comparison flyby */ content: "(That money is all yours. Southwest Airlines Southwest announced Monday it would be mask-optional going forward and welcomed those who decide to keep wearing masks. Additionally, Southwest will continue supporting the comfort of those who travel with us by offering additional layers of protection, including sophisticated cabin air ventilation systems onboard our aircraft which incorporate HEPA air filtration that removes at least 99.97% of airborne particles. Download Share Save. "Given the unexpected nature of this announcement, please be aware that customers, airline employees and federal agency employees such as TSA may be receiving this information at different times," Delta said in a statement. British low-cost carrier Jet2 was the first airline in the UK to scrap mask requirements on planes, relaxing the rule on March 1. Following the decision, American Airlines, Delta, and Southwest quickly announced that passengers and staff would no longer be asked to wear masks on their planes. The TSA extended its mask mandates for air travelers, which was set to expire Friday, by another month. This is why we cant just keep leaving the operation of more and more of our infrastructure and our lives to antiquated software and self-interested executives. If negative, continue to mask for the 10-day duration. In September, they put the same sign lamenting the companys outdated technology on the side of a truck and drove it in circles around Love Field (Southwests core airport) in Dallas, as well as the nearby Southwest headquarters. The mask mandate on public transportation was implemented in January 2021 by President Joe Biden and the policy was set to expire on March 18 but was extended to April 18, and then again to May 3, frustrating travelers and surprising some analysts. An airline-by-airline look at facemask policies as of Tuesday, April 19. Southwest Airlines Launches Sale with Fares as Low as $49 One-Way. More than 70% of Americans can take off their masks indoors under new CDC guidelines on COVID-19 risk. But the candidates currently in Baltimore might also be on hold for hours, trying to let the company know of their whereabouts. The result is that once the employees managed corporate contact, they werent allowed to fly, even if they were at an airport with a flight that needed them. He added that high-profile altercations that took place on airplanes because of the masking requirements would mostly disappear following the end of the companys mask requirement. And unless we take steps to hold companies and executives accountable for preventable and foreseeable failures, it will be us, the public, who keep paying. Masks connected to tubing or battery-operated filters Currently, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has mandated that masks be worn on all public transportation, including in. Every night, we deep clean each plane from nose to tail for more than 6 hours. Icelandair has also updated its mask policy to be optional on some routes, including flights within Iceland, and to or from Europe and Greenland. The federal rule that requires . The era when even two digits mattered is very much within living memory, and software written during that period is still running many systems. )"; Test at least five days after exposure and if result is positive, go into isolation for five days. Courtney123. .air-booking-select-compare-fares-secondary .compare-fares-secondary--header-cell { the airline tweeted. Cathay Pacific has told passengers who are nervous or uncomfortable around seatmates who choose not to wear a face mask on one of the airline's flights to postpone their travel plans after Hong Kong lifted its years-long mask mandate. /* Air CheckIn Banner Button Fix */ With the national mask mandate on airplanes and mass public transit voided this week by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, face masks are now optional on area mass transit . Well, if you are a corporate executive whose compensation is tied to stock prices and earnings statements released every three months, there are strong incentives to address any immediate problem by essentially adding a bit of duct tape and wire to what you already have, rather than spending a large amount of money updating software is costly and difficult to address the root problem. The CDC advises that you wear a well-fitting, high-quality mask - ideally an N95 or equivalent for 10 days following your exposure. But the point-to-point flight model which has its advantages doesnt fully explain how Southwest still couldnt start flying its regular schedule until a week after the storm had passed. The trade organizations represent some of the biggest players in the U.S. travel industry, including airlines American, Delta and United, and hotel companies Marriott and Hilton. With the mandate now expired, several US airlines are joining a handful of European carriers by dropping the rule on aircraft. Hawaiian Airlines: Effective immediately, face masks are optional for guests and employees on Hawaiian Airlines. In its . html[lang="es"] div.footer div.flex-placement > div:nth-child(8) { It accepts gaiters, as long as they have at. border: 0; The airplane is a unique, but controlled environment for everyone's safety. } width: 273px; A number of major airlines including American, United, Southwest, Delta and Alaska quickly announced that masks would now be optional for customers and employees domestically and on. color:#111B40; April 2021: Federal mask mandateextended through Sept. 13. Promotional Companion Pass valid through 2/28/2024. Keep reading for a list of major U.S. airlines and their masking policies. DALLAS, June 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV), celebrating the 50 th Anniversary of its first flights this month, has extended its bookable flight schedule through Jan . by Rachel Scully - 12/16/21 7:47 AM ET. Bottom line An EasyJet spokesperson told CBS that "higher than usual staff sickness levels" contributed to the increase in cancellations. of Transportation most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded 2)fulltime-equivalent active Employees 3) 1973-2019 annual profitability, Media Contacts: Visit the Southwest Newsroom atswamedia.comfor multimedia assets and other Company news. #FlyoutTrigger_5 > div > div > div.overlay-container--flyout-content > div > div.header-flyout--content-section > div:nth-child(3) > a:hover .link--text b * { Are they worth, Texas House unveils economy, workforce priorities, Good Samaritan helps rescue kids from icy pond, Houston truck driver fighting 110-year sentence, Newsfeed Now: Biden unveils $1.75 trillion spending, Newsfeed Now: Democrats push to wrap up negotiations, Newsfeed Now: FDA panel backs Pfizers low-dose COVID-19, Newsfeed Now: Industry peers angry over deadly movie, Newsfeed Now: Infrastructure Bill drawing toward, Newsfeed Now: FBI IDs remains of Brian Laundrie;, Newsfeed Now: FBI finds remains at Florida reserve, Windshield covers and other handy gear you need for, 18 trendy cowboy boots to wear this winter, 18 books youll want to read on Dr. Seuss Day, Twitter reverses suspension of Mike Lees personal, Soldiers allegedly heard loud noise before killing, KFC bringing back buzzworthy item after 9 years, Texas-based fast food chain has the healthiest burger, Biden marks 20 years at DHS as controversy centers, Four people behind bars charged with bank fraud in, Severe storm alert Thu evening | Timing and impacts, Why the $2B jackpot winner got less than half, Christina Applegates last red carpet appearance, Houston announces new affordable housing development, Astros Pena, Altuve make spring training debuts, West holds town hearing over Westfest Parking Ordinances, HCSO: Teen killed in auto-pedestrian crash in Tomball, Man connected to Leslie Obis death arrested, HPD, Fight leads to a man being shot in west Houston,, HPD arrests man accused of 2 shootings at same house, Jokic has 100th triple-double; Nuggets down Rockets, Crosby ISD to go to four-day school weeks, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. United Airlines:Effective immediately, masks are no longer required at United on domestic flights, select international flights (dependent upon the arrival countrys mask requirements) or at U.S. airports. Your toddler could be arrested and thrown in jail with hardcore criminals if he can't keep his mask on. Like recent guidance regarding masks in other settings, the CDC says any revision will be based on the levels of COVID-19 at the community level, as well as on the risk of new variants, national data and the latest science. Both an electrostatic disinfectant and an anti-microbial spray are applied on every surface of the aircraft, killing viruses on contact and forming an anti-microbial coating or shield for 30 days. color: #111B40; But if the fines are too small, companies will just see them as a cost of doing business and carry on. ", Frontier said that it was dropping the policy following the TSA's announcement, but reminded passengers that"individual airports and municipalities may still require masks so customers and team members should continue to abide by mask rules within any facility that may require it. For example, after the 2017 Equifax breach, which exposed sensitive information from 143 million Americans because the company failed to institute a routine security update to its software, it agreed to pay a penalty of at least $575 million to the Federal Trade Commission. font-style: normal; Its a bit like constructing a building. Specifically, face coverings can be removed on flights to or from Barbados, St Lucia, Antigua, Grenada, The Bahamas, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. We had available crews and aircraft, but our technology struggled to align our resources due to the magnitude and scale of the disruptions. But thats yet another layer of software that has to be written and integrated into whatever software the airline uses for scheduling personnel. width:556px !important A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 passenger plane takes off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Southwest Airlines Flight 3472 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight operating from New Orleans International Airport in New Orleans, Louisiana to Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida.On August 27, 2016, the Boeing 737-7H4, with 99 passengers and five crew, 12 minutes after departure from New Orleans, was climbing through 31,000 feet and heading east over the Gulf of Mexico . Hawaiian tweeted its new policy, making masks optional, but noted there are some origin or arrival airports that still require masks. What were talking about here is choice, Jordan said. So every time you fly, your friend can too. Face masks are mandatory on flights in the United States. The Equifax C.E.O., Richard Smith, did resign. If you had the option of not adhering to strict earthquake or fire codes i.e., if there was little or no regulation or oversight it would almost inevitably be cheaper and quicker to skip such niceties. [TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider (its free!)]. "Please be kind and respectful of individual choices, and remember that wearing a mask while flying on Breeze is still an option if you choose to do so," the airline posted on its website. .header-flyout-links .header-flyout-links--item .swa-icon_search { padding-left: 1px; } These are the kind of efforts that may not be widely visible but make all the difference. Sun Country tweeted on Monday that passengers and staff can wear masks if they choose. Even . December 2021: Mandateextended through March 18 because of the omicron variant. External site which may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. At present, Japan Airlines doesn't require passengers to wear a face mask, but it strongly recommends passengers do so and warns that going barefaced . A group of pilots is suing the CDC over mask policies on airplanes. If positive, do not fly and instead isolate for five days. Despite updatedCOVID-19 mask guidance announced Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and thelifting of mask mandates across the country, the federal mask mandate covering planes, airports, trains andother public transportation is in effect until at least March 18. The court ruling moved up the timeline, barring any appeals, so passengers boarding flights late Monday did so without masks for the first time in nearly two years. } S&P Index data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. A guide to the airlines on which face masks are optional rather than an obligation, including Southwest, United, American, Delta, British Airways and others. left: 467px !important; When I talk about technical debt, many people point to the Y2K scare, which seems to offer a perfect example. of Southwest in 2004, retired this year, with an estimated net worth in the tens of millions of dollars, so the crisis did indeed occur under someone elses tenure. "We advise travelers to stay informed and follow mask requirements that may remain in effect at their origin or arrival airports," the airline tweeted. With COVID cases on the decline, some European airlines have also dropped the mandate on certain routes. So far we dont see a rise in hospitalizations, Jordan said. As a result, our crew schedulers tackled the issue manually, which is a tedious, long process that takes time and trained resources to accomplish.. Source The Dallas Morning News (TNS) A Southwest Airlines flight attendant, wearing one mask, demonstrates the use of an oxygen mask at the outset of flight from . AVOID TRAVEL: CDC warns US travelers to avoid nearly 60% of international destinations. Scandinavian Airlines, also known as SAS, removed the mask mandate for flights in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway in October, but has expanded that to all flights except to and from the US, China, and Italy as of April 4. "Please be kind and respectful of individual choices, and remember that wearing a mask while flying on Breeze is still an option if you choose to do so," the company noted. During such waits, they could time out a phrase relating to a Federal Aviation Administration safety requirement that mandates a certain amount of rest between flights. That remarkable progress in hardware shouldnt obscure the critically important fact that software doesnt just come along by itself. 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