Holidaymakers have been reminded to double check local face mask rules before jetting off to their destination.
Earlier this week, European health officials recommended that face mask mandates can be removed on board flights to EU countries from this Monday.
But a number of popular hotspots will keep their face mask rules in place - including the likes of Spain, Greece and Italy, the Mirror reports.
Spain’s Health Minister Carolina Darias told local media this week that passengers will still be required to wear masks on flights to Spain.
She also stated that this rule is unlikely to change in the coming days.
The Spanish minister told The Local : “Europe says that the use of the mask on flights must be aligned with national regulations and in Spain we only recently decided that in this context it remains mandatory.
"All the measures have to follow a process and therefore we have to advance with caution and proportionality as we have until now."
Meanwhile, budget airline Ryanair has subsequently said it will remove mandatory face mask policies on its EU flights; but not countries where these are still required for public transport.
This includes destinations such as:
- Austria
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Estonia
- Germany
- Greece
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxemburg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- Spain
The company does anticipate that some of the destinations will begin to ease their rules due to the changes.
France was originally on the list, but has subsequently announced that from May 16 it will no longer require face masks on planes and trains.
Ryanair’s CEO Eddie Wilson said as part of a statement: "We expect these States to relax their face mask rules over the coming days in line with these new health guidelines from EASA and the ECDC. Intending passengers can check the latest EU face mask regulations on the Re-Open EU website."
If you're due to travel abroad, always check the latest Foreign Office travel advice for your chosen destination before booking or going on a trip. This will include any entry requirements or local Covid rules that you need to be aware of.
It's also worth speaking to your airline or tour operator who will be able to advise you of any Covid policies or entry rules that you should know before you travel.
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