Are masks becoming a thing of the past for British flyers?
Two major British airlines and London’s Heathrow Airport announced Monday they plan to drop their mask mandates over the next month.
Starting March 16th, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic passengers can ditch the face diapers on flights where the destination doesn’t require them.
Here’s the British Airways announcement:
From 16 March, our face mask policy is changing.
Where we’re clear the destination you’re travelling to doesn’t require a face mask on board, it will become optional 😷 ✈️
Please continue to respect fellow passengers' mask preferences in these instances.#BritishAirways pic.twitter.com/vgh5ws7DfO
— British Airways (@British_Airways) March 15, 2022
No more mask mandate at Heathrow Airport, or on Virgin & British Airways (destination-dependent).
Let's go, Brandon @POTUS – drop it.https://t.co/REFjCPENEU
— Jessica Hockett (@Wood_House76) March 15, 2022
The announcement comes on the heels of England lifting its remaining travel restrictions.
Travel into Britain likely to be back to normal for the first time in two years by the end of the week.
Ministers are meeting today to drop passenger locator forms and tests for the unvaccinated – expected pretty imminently
— Chris Smyth (@Smyth_Chris) March 14, 2022
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Heathrow Airport are all scrapping their mask rules for travellers.
— Craig Platt (@CPtraveller) March 15, 2022
Travel Off Path reported:
Monday’s announcement by transport officials in London is in line with England dropping all of its Covid-related restrictions and requirements, including its mask mandate, which is scheduled to come into effect on on the morning of March 18th local time.
As England becomes the 14th nation to remove all Covid-related entry requirements, travelers will no longer have to follow up with Covid testing, passenger locator forms and proof of vaccination paperwork.
All new travel rules will apply to international arrivals to England, but please note that the update does not apply to travelers to Scotland and Wales.
The Washington Post added:
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic provided statements to Heathrow indicating they would follow suit. In a statement, British Airways Chief Operating Officer Jason Mahoney said that beginning Wednesday, passengers will only be required to wear a mask on the carrier’s flights if their destination requires it.
Corneel Koster, Virgin Atlantic’s chief customer and operating officer, said in a statement that masks would be optional on routes that are not subject to international mask regulations. The airline will introduce the change gradually, and Koster said masks “will still be required on many of our routes, including flights operating to or from the United States” until at least April 18, the expiration date for a recently extended mask order from the Transportation Security Administration.
Hopefully, the move places additional pressure on the Biden administration to drop its idiotic public transportation mask mandate.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate voted 57-40 to end the mandate.
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