European Union Drops Airline Mask Rules

Face masks on planes are going to become less common in Europe.

European Union drops air travel mask guidance

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have issued an update when it comes to the wearing of face masks on flights. The European Union will no longer recommend airlines to require passengers to wear face masks.

The European Union only makes recommendations, and countries are allowed to make their own rules. The European Union recommendations are usually followed. The decision was made based on the high levels of vaccination and natural immunity in Europe, as well as the growing number of European countries lifting restrictions.

It acknowledges that masks will be required in some places, including those where they are required for public transport. Those who are vulnerable or concerned should continue to wear masks that offer a high level of protection, as masks still provide some of the best protection against the transmission of COVID-19.

Patrick Ky is the Executive Director of the EASA.

“From next week, face masks will no longer need to be mandatory in air travel in all cases, broadly aligning with the changing requirements of national authorities across Europe for public transport. For passengers and air crews, this is a big step forward in the normalisation of air travel. Passengers should however behave responsibly and respect the choices of others around them. And a passenger who is coughing and sneezing should strongly consider wearing a face mask, for the reassurance of those seated nearby.”  

The federal transportation mask mandate ended in the United States due to a ruling by a Florida judge. The Department of Justice has been asked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to challenge the ruling.

Will airlines follow the EU’s recommendations?

It is up to individual countries to decide on their own rules after the European Union changes its recommendations. The current state of things is not easy to understand.

• We’ve seen some countries in the European Union already lift face mask requirements for public transportation, and in turn, we’ve seen several European Union airlines lift face mask requirements
• We’ve seen some European Union countries not lift face mask requirements for airlines, but nonetheless airlines have decided to no longer enforce the rules
• The current state of things is pretty complicated, because whether or not a mask is required is based on a combination of the airline policy, as well as the policies of the countries you’re traveling to & from
• Then you have some countries that require masks on planes, but not at the airport

Most of the airlines in the European Union will follow this updated guidance. I'm sure it won't be the case across the board, but many countries are trying to encourage a return to normal, and this is a major part of that. It will be interesting to see how this goes next week.

Bottom line

The wearing of face masks on planes has been recommended by the European Union. It is no longer recommended for countries and airlines to require air travelers to wear masks. It's up to individual countries and airlines to decide on their own policies, but I expect this guidance to be largely followed.

Do you believe most EU countries will lift face mask requirements for air travel?