As the UK’s major airlines begin to announce the easing of mask rules, it can be difficult to keep track of the different policies.
While four major carriers have announced that face coverings will no longer be compulsory on their flights, the days of masking up on a plane are far from over.
For starters, individual rules in some departure points (including within the UK) and stricter destinations mean you will still have to wear a mask on some flights - including those operated by the airlines who have announced a relaxation of their mask policy.
Meanwhile some airlines are keeping things simple by continuing to require masks for all passengers on all routes, while Heathrow Airport is no longer demanding people wear masks in its terminals (though, confusingly, it still “strongly recommends” doing so).
So do you have to wear (or at least pack) a mask for your next flight?
Here’s the current situation across the UK and Ireland’s major airlines.
EasyJet
EasyJet still requires all passengers to wear a mask on all flights. It even goes as far as to specify acceptable types of mask - “FFP2 certified (or equivalent)” - with scarves, face visors and masks with valves all banned. “If it’s not suitable, you may be refused travel,” states the guidance on the carrier’s website.
If passengers believe they should be exempt from wearing one, they need to fill in a web form in advance and provide a medical certificate or doctor’s letter as proof.
British Airways
BA has had an interesting week, mask wise. On Tuesday it tweeted “From 16 March, our face mask policy is changing. Where we’re clear the destination you’re travelling to doesn’t require a face mask on board, it will become optional.” This means that on flights from England to, say, Iceland or Norway - where all remaining Covid restrictions have been dropped - BA would no longer insist on mask-wearing, though passengers are welcome to continue wearing them.
However, a day after this rule change came in, reports from Heathrow airport suggest that BA is still advising passengers to wear masks in the airport and on all flights, saying, “wearing face masks is still our policy”. As of 17 March, some passengers were still being told to wear masks throughout the airport and on flights, and to only remove them to eat or drink during the journey.
A BA spokesperson told The Independent: “We’ve moved over to our new policy and we’re very grateful for our customers’ patience as we’ve been transitioning”. They emphasised that the airline provides information about mask requirements in passenger’s destinations online, adding “We advise customers to continue travelling with a mask so that they can put it on if required – also because we’ve seen that restrictions can change quickly.”
Jet2
On 1 March, Jet2 became the first UK airline to make masks optional on most of its flights. It announced that masks would no longer be mandatory “at our airports or onboard our aircraft”, but emphasised that masks would still need to be worn by passengers flying from Scotland, and that masks would need to be kept handy for arrival in your destination.
In Scotland, Jet2 passengers aged six and over still need to wear masks in airports and on flights, with the carrier advising those who are exempt that they must contact its Special Assistance team in advance and provide proof of medical exemption.
Tui
As of 11 March, masks have been optional on Tui flights from England and Northern Ireland, with the airline “strongly recommending” passengers still wear them. Passengers over 12 flying from Scotland or Wales still need to mask up for the duration of the flight.
Confusingly, passengers who are travelling from England or Northern Ireland to Italy and the US must also wear a mask throughout the flight. This applies to flyers aged two and above for the US, and six and above for Italy. Even if you’re flying elsewhere, the airline notes: “It’s important to note that you may still be required to wear a mask when leaving the aircraft and once inside the airport at your arrival destination.”
Virgin Atlantic
Virgin is doing a phased relaxation of its mask rule, depending on destination. So from 16 March, passengers flying to its Caribbean destinations - Barbados, St Lucia, Antigua, Grenada, The Bahamas, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago - from Heathrow and Manchester have freedom of choice when it comes to wearing a mask on the plane.
Yet you’ll still need a face mask handy for the other end of your journey. “Masks will still be required prior to disembarking in Caribbean destinations as they remain an airport requirement throughout the Caribbean islands,” says a statement from the carrier. The airline says masks will still be required on many of its routes, including flights operating to or from the US, until 18 April at the earliest.
Ryanair
Keeping it simple, Ryanair still requires all passengers to wear a mask on all flights. “In line with current European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)/ European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) guidelines, it is mandatory to wear a face mask/covering on all Ryanair flights,” a spokesperson told The Independent.
