Passengers no longer required to wear masks on European flights from next week

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency said any passenger who is coughing and sneezing should strongly consider wearing a face mask, for the reassurance of those seated nearby.

The mask mandate for passengers on board European flights and in airports is being dropped from next Monday.

However, mask rules will vary by airline, particularly on flights to or from a destination where mask-wearing is still required on public transport, and vulnerable passengers should continue to wear a face mask, authorities have advised.

It follows the issuing of a new update to the health and safety measures for air travel by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on Wednesday.

They noted that while a face mask is still one of the best protections against the transmission of Covid-19, the recommendation for the mandatory wearing of medical masks in airports and on board a flight is being dropped from May 16.

The update of the joint Aviation Health Safety Protocol takes account of the latest developments in the pandemic, in particular the levels of vaccination and naturally-acquired immunity, and the accompanying lifting of restrictions in more European countries, they said.

The update also includes a relaxation of the more stringent measures in air operations which the agencies said will help relieve the burden on the industry. EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky said the fact that face masks will no longer be mandatory in air travel is a big step forward in the normalisation of air travel.

“Passengers should however behave responsibly and respect the choices of others around them," he said.

And a passenger who is coughing and sneezing should strongly consider wearing a face mask, for the reassurance of those seated nearby. 

ECDC director, Andrea Ammon, said while risks do remain, they have seen that non-pharmaceutical interventions and vaccines have allowed peoples’ lives to begin to return to normal.

“While mandatory mask-wearing in all situations is no longer recommended, it is important to be mindful that together with physical distancing and good hand hygiene it is one of the best methods of reducing transmission,” she said.

“The rules and requirements of departure and destination states should be respected and applied consistently, and travel operators should take care to inform passengers of any required measures in a timely manner.

“The importance of these measures should continue to be effectively communicated to passengers for their safety, and ECDC will continue to work with our colleagues at EASA to regularly assess and amend the recommendations as necessary.” 

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Despite the dropping of the mask mandate, passengers are still being encouraged to observe distancing measures in indoor areas, including at the airport, wherever possible.

But airport operators have been urged to adopt “a pragmatic approach” to this and advised to avoid imposing distancing requirements if they are likely to lead to a bottleneck in airports.

And while many states no longer require passengers to submit data through a passenger locator form, airlines have been told to keep their data collection systems on standby in case public health authorities need the data in future if a new variant of concern emerges.