MASKS on flights – necessary or not?

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Viewing 14 posts - 16 through 29 (of 29 total)

  • Luc Jones
    Participant

    And there I was thinking that I’m the only one in the world who thinks that the compulsory wearing of masks is both daft and pointless.

    Russian airlines are insistent on masks being worn at all times, with tannoy announcment threats for any violations (I’m based in Moscow and have Gold status with Aeroflot, I should add).

    In comparison, although you’re supposed to wear masks on public transport in Moscow and in shops, few bother.


    K1ngston
    Participant

    Slightly off topic but bare with me! Here in Singapore there are VTL (Vaccinated Travel Lane) flights and non VTL flights (still with me?) To get a VTL flight here means you do not have to quarantine you have to take a regime of tests (dont ask me how many as it’s probably changed since I started writing this) and then you are free to go about your business. There has been some wording recently on recognising people that have been positive with COVID and they can now get into the country where before they couldn’t … Even now without a VTL you have to stay in your home and not test unless you plan to go out and then you have to test …..

    Now my question (finally) to fly to Singapore you need to produce and show full vaccination history and show a negative PCR or ART to get on a plane so what pray is the difference between a VTL and a non VTL flight? You are all open to catching something on the plane as in theory you are all vaccinated right?

    Well I am sure some of you are dying to know, the truth is the only difference is the price (naturally I hear you say) it can be up to $1000 more expensive in economy on a VTL than a non VTL … the wonders of some faceless bureaucrat making up some stupid ridiculous rule and giving it to some none the wiser who checks us in and also enforces at the border, whilst baffling everyone with officious nonsense and ensuring everyone is non the wiser …

    And dont get me started on wearing masks…………….

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    EU_Flyer
    Participant

    I would hope that masks will be optional by mid year. Really depends on how Asia behaves – as they’re far more mask tolerant than other continents and for masks to become optional there will need to be some international consensus.

    I also think that masks will go in 2022 because with time – customers, crew and management will want to encourage a “back to normal” narrative and removing masks will be a huge part of that.

    Finally

    [quote quote=1201500]Martyn … if I’ve been on an airplane for 7 hours, there’s no way I’m going to sit quietly on arrival.[/quote]

    I’m always amazed at people, especially on narrow bodies, who stand up even before the plane reaches the gate and ignore crew requests to stay seated. Perhaps this is not you. I really enjoy the orderliness of disembarking by row eve if I need to wait for another few minutes. Avoids/reduces the inevitable aisle scrum and stress that goes with it.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    Financial Tines piece…

    US airlines seek end to Covid mask mandate despite passenger wariness
    CEOs say rules due to expire on Monday are ‘no longer aligned with the realities’

    I wonder what the majority of people think about masks on aircraft…
    I spend a lot of time on trains (to and from London). Very few people are wearing masks now, but we are more spaced out on the train than we would be an aircraft (in terms of where we sit, not on drugs).

    On the other hand, airlines have better aircraft have better air filtration systems, the HEPA ones….


    huey
    Participant

    Mask mandate is not based on science or any concern for public health. It’s a control issue, always has been. But obviously plenty of people are buying into the party line. Sad.


    SimonS1
    Participant

    [quote quote=1202582]Finally

    huey wrote:
    Martyn … if I’ve been on an airplane for 7 hours, there’s no way I’m going to sit quietly on arrival.

    I’m always amazed at people, especially on narrow bodies, who stand up even before the plane reaches the gate and ignore crew requests to stay seated. Perhaps this is not you. I really enjoy the orderliness of disembarking by row eve if I need to wait for another few minutes. Avoids/reduces the inevitable aisle scrum and stress that goes with it.[/quote]

    Indeed. If I’ve been on an airplane for 7 hours then I take the view that another 5 mins is unlikely to make much difference, particularly as there really is nowhere to go.

    4 users thanked author for this post.

    cwoodward
    Participant

    I will for the foreseeable future always ware a mask on the street, in airports and on aircraft as for me it is well proved that masks make a real difference both as a defence to both my self and to others.
    Here in Hong Kong it has become the norm (and often the law) for the past two and half years and I find it no problem at all and just the sensible thing to do (other than when playing tennis where I believe safely discard the mask)


    SimonS1
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1209503]

    Yes, I do the same on the train and plane. If it makes a 20% difference then for me it is worth it.


    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    FrequentlyFlying
    Participant

    I’m just back from a San Diego trip on BA in CW.
    It seems daft that every single person on the outbound flight had to provide a negative test within 1 day of travel and yet we all had to wear a mask and it was strictly enforced by the crew.
    On the return leg I thought we’d be able to remove masks once airborne but US CDC mandate is the entire journey, mask wearing wasn’t quite as strictly observed on the way home, we were in the new Club Suite on A350 and a night flight so harder to enforce I guess.


    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    rferguson
    Participant

    I just returned to the UK from Italy on an Easyjet flight.

    The Italian authorities require passengers to not only wear a mask on flights to/from and within Italy but it must also be an FFP2 mask. This caused chaos and delays both on the outbound and inbound sectors while passengers turned up with surgical masks and found there was nowhere to buy FFP2 masks at the airport. Especially on the return flight, a lot of passengers were arguing that it is a ridiculous requirement as they are flying to a country with no mask mandate.

    It was a bit overkill IMHO especially as most of the world is moving towards a ‘living with COVID’ plan.


    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    Yes, I experienced the same on an ITA flight to and from Rome.

    At Heathrow, they were selling the masks for £10.

    Interesting piece on the recent news from the U.S in this New York Times article

    Who Ended the Travel Mask Mandate? A Vaccine Critic, a Florida Judge and 2 Anxious Travelers

    The mask rule on planes and public transportation has been targeted by the travel industry and Republican lawmakers. In the end, it was brought down by a little-known nonprofit, a conservative judge and chance.

Viewing 14 posts - 16 through 29 (of 29 total)
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