The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is
appealing to airline passengers to wear a face covering during their flight or
risk facing the consequences, which could include refusal of carriage, being
banned from future flights, or penalties under national laws.
Wearing a face covering is recommended under the
International Civil Aviation Organisation’s guidance for safe operations during
the coronavirus pandemic, which is now being used by most global airlines to
establish new policies and procedures as they resume flights.
According to IATA, there have recently been reports of
travellers refusing to wear a mask during flights, with some incidents becoming
violent and resulting in “costly and extremely inconvenient diversions to
offload these passengers”.
Under their Conditions of Carriage, which all customers agree
to by purchasing a ticket, airlines have the right to refuse carriage to
passengers whose behaviour interferes with a flight, violates government
regulations, or causes other passengers to feel unsafe. IATA pointed out that
customers are clearly told about the need to wear a face covering during the
booking process, at check-in, at the gate and in on-board announcements.
IATA director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac commented:
“This is a call for common sense and taking responsibility. The vast majority
of travellers understand the importance of face coverings both for themselves as
well as for their fellow passengers, and airlines appreciate this collective
effort. But a small minority create problems. Safety is at the core of
aviation, and compliance with crew safety instructions is the law. Failure to
comply can jeopardise a flight’s safety, disrupt the travel experience of other
passengers and impact the work environment for crew.”
Dr David Powell, IATA’s medical advisor, added: “The
research we have seen to date, and our own investigations with the world’s
airlines, tells us that the risk of catching Covid-19 on a flight remains very
low. There appears to be a number of factors supporting that. The high flow
rate of cabin air from top to bottom, constant filtering of air through
state-of-the-art HEPA filters, the fact that all seats face the same direction
and of course wearing a face covering and sanitisation of the aircraft all play
a part.”
IATA's warning comes as several global carriers have tightened mask requirements and rules around medical exemptions, including Lufthansa and several US airlines.