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AA Passenger Facial Cover / Mask Use Policy 2020 (Inc. changes)

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Old Jun 15, 2020, 10:26 pm
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American Airlines Strengthens Requirement Customers Wear Face Coverings on Board

Link to full article
  • New policy is effective Wednesday, Aug. 19
  • Allowed face coverings must be worn correctly, covering the nose and mouth, and only can be removed briefly for eating and drinking
  • Face coverings made with materials such as mesh or lace fabrics are also not allowed
FORT WORTH, Texas — Effective Aug. 19, 2020, and following the most recent recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), face coverings with exhausts valves or vents will no longer be allowed for travel with American Airlines. The CDC notes that face coverings with one-way valves or vents allow exhaled air to be expelled through holes in the material. These can allow exhaled respiratory droplets to reach others and potentially spread the coronavirus (COVID-19).

“Wearing a face covering is a responsibility we all share. An effective covering, worn properly, is one of the best ways we can control the spread of COVID-19 to protect our team members and customers,” said Alison Taylor, Chief Customer Officer at American. “Since American began requiring face coverings in early May, the vast majority of customers have welcomed our continuing efforts to strengthen the policy based on the CDC’s guidance.”

American began requiring face coverings on board its flights in May and, in July, announced it would only allow exemptions for customers under 2 years old. The airline requires all other customers to wear a face covering from the time they enter the airport where their trip begins until they leave the airport where their trip ends.

Based on the updated CDC guidance, below are examples of face coverings customers can and cannot wear while traveling with American.
https://news.aa.com/news/news-detail...es-OPS-DIS-08/

Allowed:

  • A well-secured cloth or mask that fits snugly against the face and covers an individual’s nose and mouth. It must be made of a material that prevents the discharge and release of respiratory droplets from a person's nose or mouth.

Not allowed:

  • Face coverings with exhaust valves.
  • Face coverings made with materials such as mesh or lace fabrics.
  • Face coverings that do not cover the nose and mouth.
  • Face shields without the addition of a face covering.
Only children under the age of 2 are exempt from American’s face covering policy. Customers without an approved face covering will be provided with an approved one, upon request, at the airport. Face coverings can only be briefly removed while the customer is eating or drinking. Customers will be reminded of these guidelines throughout their time traveling with American. Those unwilling to comply with American’s face covering policy at any time during their journey may be denied boarding or barred from future travel for the duration of this policy.



A face covering is required while flying on American, except for very young children or anyone with a condition that prevents them from wearing one. You also may be required by local law to wear a face covering in the airport where your trip begins, where it ends or where you connect.
  • Please bring your own face covering to use while traveling. While limited quantities of face coverings may be available at the gate, they will not be available for every customer on every flight.
  • Be sure your face covering is on before you board the plane and wear it during your flight. If you’re not exempt from wearing a face covering and decline to wear one, you may be denied boarding and future travel on American.
  • Your face covering may be removed to eat or drink, but please put it back on when you’re done.

Details of the updated policy for face coverings will be communicated to American Airlines team members this week, and the policy will go into effect June 16. American also requires team members to wear face coverings while at work.[/quote]

PRIOR POLICY as of 1 May 2020
Link to AA News story

Flight Attendants must wear masks as of Friday, May 1, 2020.

Passengers must wear masks as of Monday, May 11.



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AA Passenger Facial Cover / Mask Use Policy 2020 (Inc. changes)

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Old May 3, 2021, 6:41 pm
  #256  
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Originally Posted by Kate2015
You don't think this continual creep will lead to a permanent policy? I'm sorry, but that's very naďve.
No. The federal government is in control of the mandate right now. The government just extended it 3 months. American had nothing to do with that. The government may yet extend the mask requirement again, or even several more times, but will not implement a permanent mask policy. And to say the government's recent extension indicates anything whatsoever about AA's future policy intentions is logically flawed.


Originally Posted by Kate2015
No one has ever said the mask requirement is temporary
Other than it having an end date?
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Last edited by javabytes; May 3, 2021 at 6:48 pm
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Old May 3, 2021, 11:22 pm
  #257  
 
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Originally Posted by Kate2015
You don't think this continual creep will lead to a permanent policy? I'm sorry, but that's very naďve.
Only if the virus cases continue near (or above) their current level. The “creep” is simply following the ongoing virus case counts.
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Old May 14, 2021, 6:46 pm
  #258  
 
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Given the fact that the CDC is now even saying its OK to skip a mask indoors if your vaccinated, I'd be interested to see what happens on Sept. 13, willing to bet there is some degree of relax, like domestic routes first or something.
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Old May 15, 2021, 10:10 am
  #259  
 
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It is strange that the CDC says masks are not needed for vaccinated persons indoors. Nor is social distancing required. That includes environments with little or no air circulation. An aircraft has superb air circulation and would seem to be one of the first places where masks could be abandoned. My guess is that the extension relates to the problem of Karens who freak out at the sight of a human face and the worry about conflicts on board. Said another way, the extension appears to be related to things not related to health but rather people's behavior. Those videos of the fine American citizens fighting in Miami say it all.
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Old May 15, 2021, 2:24 pm
  #260  
 
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Originally Posted by sfoeuroflyer
It is strange that the CDC says masks are not needed for vaccinated persons indoors. Nor is social distancing required. That includes environments with little or no air circulation. An aircraft has superb air circulation and would seem to be one of the first places where masks could be abandoned. My guess is that the extension relates to the problem of Karens who freak out at the sight of a human face and the worry about conflicts on board. Said another way, the extension appears to be related to things not related to health but rather people's behavior. Those videos of the fine American citizens fighting in Miami say it all.
Ehh I've seen more Karen videos of folks not wanting to wear a mask and it seems those who don't feel safe leaving their home don't. The DOT is also not really profiting off of the lawsuits and fines from unruly mask conflicts, and the airlines get tons of pushback from the staff, who would take serving a PDB any day of the week over being the mask police if they had to chose extra work.
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Old May 17, 2021, 3:26 pm
  #261  
 
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Originally Posted by javabytes
No. The federal government is in control of the mandate right now. The government just extended it 3 months. American had nothing to do with that. The government may yet extend the mask requirement again, or even several more times, but will not implement a permanent mask policy. And to say the government's recent extension indicates anything whatsoever about AA's future policy intentions is logically flawed.




Other than it having an end date?
Lol, you just admitted it was extended once. An end date means nothing.
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Old May 17, 2021, 3:31 pm
  #262  
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Originally Posted by Kate2015
Lol, you just admitted it was extended once. An end date means nothing.
LOL, you just admitted that everything you posted was false. It wasn't done in the summer, and it wasn't permanent, and it wasn't done by AA, and no one in reservations knew what the FAA was going to do. You are entitled to your opinion and your speculation, but making up false facts isn't helpful to the discussion.
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Old May 23, 2021, 6:13 pm
  #263  
 
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Originally Posted by sfoeuroflyer
It is strange that the CDC says masks are not needed for vaccinated persons indoors. Nor is social distancing required. That includes environments with little or no air circulation. An aircraft has superb air circulation and would seem to be one of the first places where masks could be abandoned. My guess is that the extension relates to the problem of Karens who freak out at the sight of a human face and the worry about conflicts on board. Said another way, the extension appears to be related to things not related to health but rather people's behavior. Those videos of the fine American citizens fighting in Miami say it all.
I saw an interview with the head of the CDC wherein she said the delay in rescinding the mandates for transportation was due to the need to coordinate with other agencies.
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Old May 24, 2021, 4:40 am
  #264  
 
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Originally Posted by SpammersAreScum
I saw an interview with the head of the CDC wherein she said the delay in rescinding the mandates for transportation was due to the need to coordinate with other agencies.
This seems like one of the absolute worst possible reasons to offer. We can't change because we can't talk to each other?
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Old May 24, 2021, 10:57 am
  #265  
 
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Because the air quality of an airplane or moving train is worse than a backed building...
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Old May 24, 2021, 11:11 am
  #266  
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Originally Posted by Kate2015
You don't think this continual creep will lead to a permanent policy? I'm sorry, but that's very naďve.
Why do you think that there is any desire on the part of AA to continue the mask policy beyond what is legally mandated? And, in that regard, given the recent CDC guidance, why do you think that the government has an interest in continuing the mask mandate when the airlines have already told us that their HEPA-filtered air is among the cleanest we breathe?
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Old May 24, 2021, 12:42 pm
  #267  
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Originally Posted by sbrower
Why do you think that there is any desire on the part of AA to continue the mask policy beyond what is legally mandated? And, in that regard, given the recent CDC guidance, why do you think that the government has an interest in continuing the mask mandate when the airlines have already told us that their HEPA-filtered air is among the cleanest we breathe?
What I worry about are the unions, which seems to be driving some of the continued non scientific "prevention." Not to mention as long as the "karens" are taken in an serious manner airlines (not just AA and for that matter not just airlines) are going to be gun shy from discontinuing mask requirements.

Look at how long the Security Theater has continued.
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Old May 24, 2021, 1:03 pm
  #268  
 
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Originally Posted by MiamiAirport Formerly NY George
What I worry about are the unions, which seems to be driving some of the continued non scientific "prevention." Not to mention as long as the "karens" are taken in an serious manner airlines (not just AA and for that matter not just airlines) are going to be gun shy from discontinuing mask requirements.

Look at how long the Security Theater has continued.
Security theater may be theater but it is clear that masks do prevent the spread of disease. Forget the politics of COVID19 for a moment and notice that we basically didnt have a flu season this year, nor did Australia over the summer when COVID was at its height. Whether you believe you should be free not to wear a mask, or that you should be free to go to the mall, a concert, or an airport and not breathe in the exhaled gasses of someone who might or might not have COVID, one persons "rights" dont trump anothers.
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Old May 24, 2021, 1:12 pm
  #269  
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Originally Posted by ludocdoc
Security theater may be theater but it is clear that masks do prevent the spread of disease. Forget the politics of COVID19 for a moment and notice that we basically didnt have a flu season this year, nor did Australia over the summer when COVID was at its height. Whether you believe you should be free not to wear a mask, or that you should be free to go to the mall, a concert, or an airport and not breathe in the exhaled gasses of someone who might or might not have COVID, one persons "rights" dont trump anothers.
Well it's quite clear that at this point:
1. Anyone that wants the vaccine will have zero delays or issues getting one. They are practically begging people to do so, often offering "incentives" and free of charge
2. Those that do not get vaccinated have made the decision to take whatever risk that will they incur as a result of that decision. People are adults and can make their own decisions. We still let adults smoke cigarettes despite the damage cigarettes can cause
3. Therefore, it's time to ditch the mask use everywhere. You can continue to wear a mask if you like just don't tell me to do so.
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Old May 24, 2021, 1:26 pm
  #270  
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I say AA should say "for those passengers who are vaccinated please show your the gate agent your CDC card when swiping your boarding pass to board. You will not have to wear your mask".
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