A mask mandate is in effect for airline passengers until September 13, 2021. This policy has... [+] protected passengers from Covid, and led to a large number onboard incidents that have injured people. gettyThe mandate to remove the masks from airline passengers is set to expire September 13, 2021. This mandate has led to an increase in incidents onboard that have caused flight attendants harm, delayed or cancelled flights, as well as some of the most unacceptable behavior in society. The rapid expansion of Covid-19 Delta is forcing everyone to rethink their next steps. If they feel that Delta poses too great a risk, the federal government may consider expanding the mask mandate on planes.However, a temporary suspension of the mask mandate will not protect against some risks. These include onboard aggression and policy violations that people continue to find unfair. This mandate should be ended in September, given the safe environment in an aircraft cabin and the upcoming drop in travel.Airplanes Are Safer Than Most PlacesIt is now well-known that plane air flows vertically, and is replaced by fresh outside air every few minutes. This makes it difficult to transmit viruses aboard a plane. Even the Delta variant's higher rate of contagion will not be a problem. The mask mandate being allowed to expire at the current date does not pose a significant risk to society. It also doesn't say anything about how policy should be applied regarding restaurants or retail stores. The best place to relax the mandate is onboard an aircraft.We are here to de-link case counts and serious harmThe first wave of the pandemic was characterized by high case numbers that were directly related to deaths and hospitalizations. A rising number of cases would lead to more deaths. This has been changed by the rapid introduction of vaccines in Europe and the U.S. According to the U.Ks Daily Statesman, although case numbers are increasing, deaths aren't. Nearly all deaths from Covid today are caused by people who chose not to get vaccinated. Because of the choice of flying, an airplane's likelihood of getting vaccinated is greater than that of the general population. Although a person who has been vaccinated can transmit the virus to another person, the chances of it happening in an airplane cabin are very low.Flying can bring out your emotions.Many flyers find flying stressful. People who are used to having a lot of control over their lives must give up that control and learn to adapt. This is not something that everyone can do well. This atmosphere combined with tensions over mask policy has resulted in a summer that saw more onboard skirmishes than ever and more people being injured. Although the FAA suggested large fines in certain cases, these will likely take years and be settled or dropped for pennies on a dollar. While the fines may make headlines and deter bad behavior, the main cause of many of these incidents is the mandated mask policy. It is not the policy, it's the inconsistent application of that policy to other areas of life. Many of us can understand why we need to wear a mask when traveling, but not in restaurants. But this is not the case for everyone. This summer, we were not surprised to see the effects of the stress and emotional environment on a flight.Many flight attendants are vaccinatedThe flight attendants are the most vulnerable to abusive behaviour by passengers. National unions of flight attendants supported the original mask mandate and its extension until September. It is understandable. However, vaccines for summer are still being administered and 70% of Americans are now vaccinated. United Airlines now requires all employees to be vaccinated. It is reasonable to assume that flight attendants will be more vaccinated then the general population. Although the mandate was sensible during the summer, it will no longer be necessary. As travel decreases in fall, this mandate will reduce tensions and reduce the potential dangers to flight attendants.Management of risk does not necessarily mean eliminating it. Management of risk is not about eliminating risk. It's about minimizing the most significant risk and striking a balance between all types of risk. Although there would be no inflight accidents if it was illegal to fly, the social cost is much greater than the risk from onboard incidents. Similar to the above, we know that mask mandates upset enough customers to make it difficult for airlines and flight attendants to operate in summer. We also know that the number of people who are vaccinated is increasing each day and that seasonally travel will drop once September hits. This means that the best policy to balance all risks associated with the mask mandate is to allow it expire naturally in September.
