British Airline Jet2 Becomes First to Ditch Mask Wearing on Board

Jet2, a British airline, has lifted its mask requirement, a delicate step in the aviation sector since other major carriers still need facial coverings.

Travelers in England and Northern Ireland will no longer be needed to wear masks on aircraft or in airports, according to the airline, while face coverings are still necessary for passengers 6 years and older flying in Scotland.

“Your safety is our priority, so we’ve created our Face Mask Policy so everyone knows exactly what’s expected while traveling with us,” Jet2 wrote in its guidance, adding, “It’s no longer a legal requirement to wear a face mask at our airports or onboard our planes. However, as per UK government guidance, we recommend that you continue to wear a face mask in these spaces, and you will need to wear one when you get to your overseas destination.”

After the United Kingdom removed the legal necessity to wear facial coverings in England, the decision to eradicate masks was made. The government has stated that “operators are allowed to set their regulations for wearing facial coverings” in the future.

Despite the changing guidelines, face coverings will still be required on other British airlines like British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Numerous regions in the United States, including Nevada and California, as well as cruise companies such as Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival Cruise Line, have begun to relax mask requirements. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have relaxed its recommendations for face masks, focusing on hospitalization rates and hospital capacity rather than case statistics.