The US aviation industry’s main lobby group, Airlines for America, has announced that airlines in the United States may take action against passengers who refuse to wear face masks while traveling during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
Airlines for America stated that they will provide masks to passengers who do not have them and added that passengers could face flying restrictions under stricter enforcement policies if they are found flying without masks.
This stricter policy applies to Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines, and will be effective for at least the next 60 days.
The group also mentioned that each airline will determine the appropriate consequences for non-compliant passengers, with certain exemptions for situations such as eating or drinking.
Airlines for America emphasized that airlines will inform passengers about their specific policies on face coverings before flying and will make announcements with detailed instructions onboard.
American Airlines and United Airlines have already implemented their updated policies, with United Airlines stating that violators will be placed on an internal travel restriction list preventing them from flying for a certain duration pending a comprehensive incident review.
Similarly, Delta Air Lines is doubling its efforts to ensure that customers are aware of and comply with its mask requirement, which it considers crucial for ensuring safety while flying.