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British Airways reinstates face masks – and won’t say why

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Plot twist. According to reports, British Airways has had a last-minute change of heart and not removed the requirement to wear face masks.

The plan was to remove the requirement to wear masks, except for destinations where it is required by law, from today.

Heathrow Airport and Virgin Atlantic were also removing mask mandates from today.

British Airways backtracks on removal of face masks

It isn’t clear what is happening. Flyertalk posts from crew claim there are ‘compliance issues’ with removing the requirement for masks but the airline is not disclosing what these are.

All references to the removal of masks have disappeared from the BA website. The covid guidance pages still say that a mask is compulsory on all flights:

“Although UK rules are easing, here at British Airways like other airlines and airports, wearing face masks is still our policy. We’ll need you to wear a face mask in the airport and on board unless you are exempt. We have this policy to protect our most vulnerable customers and abide by the laws of countries around the world.

As a guide, a face mask could last up to four hours, so please make sure you bring enough for the duration of your trip. You will be asked to remove your mask for any passport checks, but you’ll be advised when to do so by our colleagues.

When you’re on board, you’re allowed to remove your face mask for a reasonable time to enable you to eat or drink. When you’re not consuming food or drink, your face mask must be placed back on and must cover your nose and mouth at all times.

British Airways reinstating face masks

What is going on?

It’s not clear.

BA is claiming on Twitter that nothing has changed despite what passengers are being told, despite what BA staff are saying in our own comments section below and despite the website changes:

The move to retain face coverings on public transport in Scotland for a further period – these were meant to have been scrapped next week – has obviously caused issues for passengers on flights to Scotland.

It is possible that it is linked to passengers connecting in London. Do passengers flying to some countries have to wear a mask for their entire trip? Perhaps the whole aircraft must be masked if one person is connecting? There are reports of passengers being told that a decision on masks can only be taken after boarding. If this is true, however, why has SAS not been impacted after dropping masks?

Whatever the issue is, it has not impacted Jet2, Tui or Virgin Atlantic which have already removed the requirement to wear face masks.

More if we get it. For now, you better keep that mask to hand, even though you won’t need it at Heathrow or Gatwick in the airport.


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Comments (232)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Rich says:

    Could be that the Unions have stepped in and said if our staff still need to wear masks then the passengers around them do too.

    We all know how powerful the Unions are at ex state owned businesses like BA are, even now after decades of public ownership.

    • Damian says:

      If that’s the case, that would fine. The imperial phase has long gone: the staff are not subservient. There’s no “one tile for us, a different rule for them”.

  • Nathan says:

    They should start concentrating on answering the telephone instead of wasting time with this nonsense.
    All covid restrictions should have ended worldwide a long time ago.

    • Spurs drive me mad says:

      I’m fed up of businesses using Covid as an excuse, they’ve had over 2 years to adapt. I agree with you Nathan if you want to stay afraid that’s your choice leave the rest of us to get on with living.

  • Robert says:

    Just boarded a BA flight at Heathrow (to Manchester) and they are most definitely telling people to wear masks, and providing them for people without. Everyone seated is wearing one

  • Cranzle says:

    Awful video

    They really need a new head of media

  • Cranzle says:

    Rob – is there an error in title of this post. Surely you mean “British Airways REINSTATES face masks – and won’t say so”

  • Doc says:

    Was passing through Heathrow yesterday and this was causing confusion with a few and there were a few disagreement between a couple of passengers who were not happy to wear masks and the crew told them they had to. Another BA chaos.

  • dougzz99 says:

    There’s a definite irony in the claims made for HEPA filters and mask wearing on aircraft, versus mask wearing on public transport.

  • Sarah says:

    I flew Heathrow to Belfast last night and staff were definitely telling people that the policy had changed to no msl

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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