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AS Requires Passengers to Wear Face Masks (TSA Extends to 1/18/2022)

AS Requires Passengers to Wear Face Masks (TSA Extends to 1/18/2022)

Old May 1, 2020, 8:59 pm
  #16  
 
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Good move, just wish that they would have made it effective tomorrow.
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Old May 2, 2020, 12:20 am
  #17  
 
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What is the enforcement and penalty if someone takes off the mask as soon as the plane starts flying?

Will we start seeing many diverted landings because people refuse to wear a mask on a 4 hour flight? The mask wearing situation is heavily politicized right now (conservative talk radio and fox news etc have started segments on how wearing masks is a way for the media to keep the panic alive), and rightly or wrongly, many people will be politically opposed to wearing masks. They might wear it so they're not denied boarding, but what happens when they take it off mid-flight? I don't want my travel to be disrupted because this has great chances of going haywire. Specially when at least some people who will be mostly flying in May/June will be those who don't care a lot about stay at home orders and such (else they wouldn't be flyiing).
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Old May 2, 2020, 7:15 am
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by nomiiiii
What is the enforcement and penalty if someone takes off the mask as soon as the plane starts flying?

Will we start seeing many diverted landings because people refuse to wear a mask on a 4 hour flight? The mask wearing situation is heavily politicized right now (conservative talk radio and fox news etc have started segments on how wearing masks is a way for the media to keep the panic alive), and rightly or wrongly, many people will be politically opposed to wearing masks. They might wear it so they're not denied boarding, but what happens when they take it off mid-flight? I don't want my travel to be disrupted because this has great chances of going haywire. Specially when at least some people who will be mostly flying in May/June will be those who don't care a lot about stay at home orders and such (else they wouldn't be flyiing).
Section 1411. Interference With Flight Crew Members Or Flight Attendants -- 49 U.S.C. 46504
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Old May 2, 2020, 8:41 am
  #19  
 
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So should I be able to get a refund since I purchased travel before this was a requirement of flying. Wearing one for a 5 hour flight ATL to SEA will not be enjoyable.
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Old May 2, 2020, 8:57 am
  #20  
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Originally Posted by Know_It_All
So should I be able to get a refund since I purchased travel before this was a requirement of flying. Wearing one for a 5 hour flight ATL to SEA will not be enjoyable.
I asked my wife about this. She sends her thoughts and prayers to you. She is a physician.
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Old May 2, 2020, 9:19 am
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by notquiteaff
Judging by all the ads I see on various websites, there is a whole cottage industry of mask makers and importers able to supply you.
For the scale of a major airline? Not so easy. Unless you're UA or DL which have been flying multiple TPAC cargo flights every day. That's why AA and AS seem to have the latest implementation deadlines.
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Old May 2, 2020, 10:34 am
  #22  
 
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We need to come up with a system here soon where if you have had an antibody test, can prove you've already had it and cleared Covid, you don't need to adhere to these mask requirements. The test isn't cheap, but I'm willing to pay it to avoid wearing a mask all the time. Can't stop my glasses from fogging up at all.
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Old May 2, 2020, 10:34 am
  #23  
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Originally Posted by HkCaGu
For the scale of a major airline? Not so easy. Unless you're UA or DL which have been flying multiple TPAC cargo flights every day. That's why AA and AS seem to have the latest implementation deadlines.
we are talking about passengers, right? Just came back from Safeway, and most people (all staff, most shoppers) were wearing face coverings. Seems to me it isn’t very difficult to find/make masks and certainly not “near impossible”...

Last edited by notquiteaff; May 2, 2020 at 10:39 am
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Old May 2, 2020, 11:13 am
  #24  
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Originally Posted by rune87
We need to come up with a system here soon where if you have had an antibody test, can prove you've already had it and cleared Covid, you don't need to adhere to these mask requirements. The test isn't cheap, but I'm willing to pay it to avoid wearing a mask all the time. Can't stop my glasses from fogging up at all.
I cannot see AS or any other airline instituting such a policy. No telling that your antibodies keep you from getting it again, if and/or how long those antibodies may be effective, and so on. And how is a flight crew supposed to enforce this? Via the "antibody lanyard and photo ID" hanging around your neck? Manifests with photos?

I could envision policies such as proof of vaccination for travel, which is historically not uncommon for international travel.

My glasses fog up, too. Annoying. I don't wear it when I drive. I won't be driving the plane.
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Old May 2, 2020, 11:23 am
  #25  
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Originally Posted by Eastbay1K
My glasses fog up, too. Annoying. I don't wear it when I drive. I won't be driving the plane.
My glasses fog up for a little while when I first put the mask one for grocery shopping. They clear up after a minute or so. Medical staff is facing the same problem.

Originally Posted by Eastbay1K
I cannot see AS or any other airline instituting such a policy. No telling that your antibodies keep you from getting it again, if and/or how long those antibodies may be effective, and so on. And how is a flight crew supposed to enforce this? Via the "antibody lanyard and photo ID" hanging around your neck? Manifests with photos?
a new business opportunity for the makers of emotional support certificates and vests

And yes, as far as I know the scientific research into immunity just isn’t there yet.
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Old May 2, 2020, 11:40 am
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by notquiteaff
we are talking about passengers, right? Just came back from Safeway, and most people (all staff, most shoppers) were wearing face coverings. Seems to me it isn’t very difficult to find/make masks and certainly not “near impossible”...
And many of those makeshift "face coverings" - cloth "face coverings" and bandanas are nearly worthless as they do not capture most of the air. I see many that do not even cover the person's nose.

Go look for actual, real, legitimate masks in the drug store or grocery store (they are in the first aid section) and let me know what you can find...

You can find/make whatever you want but it is worthless and if it is being re-used it is extremely contaminated. In order to be protected you need a real N95 mask or if not that, at least the blue medical type masks that covers a large portion of nose/face which I think are quite good as it is easy to breathe with those on and they do not fog up glasses though I am wondering how effective they really are given that (and that blue medical type mask needs to be discarded after a certain time period of use, a few hours- read the package for that detail).

And this is why AS will provide the mask to the customer that forgets. Personally I'll take the clean AS mask and use it on the flight. It is cleaner and more sanitary than these thin and filthy makeshift masks many are going around with.
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Old May 2, 2020, 11:55 am
  #27  
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Originally Posted by storewanderer
In order to be protected you need a real N95 mask
Hard to believe this is still not widely understood, but you are being asked to wear face covering primarily to protect others around you, not to protect yourself.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...coverings.html

Originally Posted by storewanderer
And many of those makeshift "face coverings" - cloth "face coverings" and bandanas are nearly worthless as they do not capture most of the air. I see many that do not even cover the person's nose.
if they captured most of the air, you’d probably faint. That isn’t the goal. And just because idiots don’t know how to wear a mask properly doesn’t mean you need to copy them.

This really isn’t difficult, people.
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Old May 2, 2020, 1:46 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by notquiteaff
My glasses fog up for a little while when I first put the mask one for grocery shopping. They clear up after a minute or so. Medical staff is facing the same problem.
Find masks that have a flexible wire inside that goes over the bridge of your nose and after you put the mask on, form it around your nose. It reduces the amount of leakage out the top of the mask and up to your glasses enough to prevent fogging.
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Old May 2, 2020, 2:36 pm
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by notquiteaff
Hard to believe this is still not widely understood, but you are being asked to wear face covering primarily to protect others around you, not to protect yourself.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...coverings.html



if they captured most of the air, you’d probably faint. That isn’t the goal. And just because idiots don’t know how to wear a mask properly doesn’t mean you need to copy them.

This really isn’t difficult, people.
Well those "idiots" who don't wear a mask properly are putting YOU at risk, according to your post. So obviously they shouldn't be copied, but they are still something to be concerned with. And the majority of the public seems to not understand how to wear a mask properly.

You are being told by the CDC not to wear N95 masks due to shortages in the health care industry in the US. In Taiwan where there are very few cases, the government provides N95 masks to everyone. This has stopped the spread there in Taiwan. Here in the US cases keep rising; these makeshift "face coverings" are of questionable benefit. My county just had the highest case growth in a few weeks this past week yet all over people are wearing these makeshift "face coverings."

Here in the US cases keep going up, despite many people wearing these "makeshift" cloth masks. I am not saying the makeshift masks do not help, I am sure they help. But they are not as helpful as the N95 mask.

Maybe you need to also present the rest of article you reference which validates the rest of what I posted, which you conveniently left out for some reason...

Hope you bring a lot of makeshift "face coverings," or bring a washing machine with you on the airplane. I wouldn't want something washed in the hotel sink or public laundry going around my face, but that is just me.

Oh and the contamination from touching the masks to take them on/off and how that compromises the user and the mask, that CDC link you provided validates that issue too.

VERY IMPORTANT FOR AIR TRAVELERS TO FOLLOW, in my opinion:

quotes from your link at CDC: quotes are in italics

"Should cloth face coverings be washed or otherwise cleaned regularly? How regularly?

Yes. They should be routinely washed depending on the frequency of use.

How does one safely sterilize/clean a cloth face covering?

A washing machine should suffice in properly washing a face covering.

How does one safely remove a used cloth face covering?

Individuals should be careful not to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth when removing their face covering and wash hands immediately after removing."
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Old May 2, 2020, 7:13 pm
  #30  
 
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Alaska will not serve the usual meal service but they will provide a bottle of water, sealed cans of beer, and prepackaged snacks. What if I want to sip some of that beer or eat the snack, what do I do with my mask?
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