Last edit by: JDiver
American Airlines Strengthens Requirement Customers Wear Face Coverings on Board
Link to full article
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 CDCs 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/
- 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
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 CDCs 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 individuals 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.
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 youre 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 youre 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.
AA Passenger Facial Cover / Mask Use Policy 2020 (Inc. changes)
#92
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,410
Thread closed for maintenance.
In the meantime, please note:
- General discussion about COVID-19 and it's impact on travel, industries, health, public policy, economies, etc. can be discuss in the Coronavirus forum (or OMNI if more appropriate there).
- This forum is for the discussion of AA and the AAdvantage program.
Multiple threads have gone off-track with general discussion about public health, bailouts, politics, and the like. Not only does this make it difficult for members to actually have discussion about the topic at hand, but it also creates a massive amount of work for the volunteer moderators to cleanup. Per FT Rules, members who continue to make disruptive posts and take threads off-topic may be subject to a formal warning or suspension of posting privileges.
Thread will be re-opened as soon as clean-up is finished and warnings/suspensions have been sent out. Thanks for your patience.
/Moderator
---------------------------------------------
Edit to add:
Housekeeping complete. Again, please take mask discussion to the relevant thread in the Coronavirus forum and keep political discussions in OMNI P/R. And a reminder that repeat offenders may be subject to suspension of posting privileges. Thanks, everyone, for your cooperation and understanding. /Moderator
In the meantime, please note:
- General discussion about COVID-19 and it's impact on travel, industries, health, public policy, economies, etc. can be discuss in the Coronavirus forum (or OMNI if more appropriate there).
- This forum is for the discussion of AA and the AAdvantage program.
Multiple threads have gone off-track with general discussion about public health, bailouts, politics, and the like. Not only does this make it difficult for members to actually have discussion about the topic at hand, but it also creates a massive amount of work for the volunteer moderators to cleanup. Per FT Rules, members who continue to make disruptive posts and take threads off-topic may be subject to a formal warning or suspension of posting privileges.
Thread will be re-opened as soon as clean-up is finished and warnings/suspensions have been sent out. Thanks for your patience.
/Moderator
---------------------------------------------
Edit to add:
Housekeeping complete. Again, please take mask discussion to the relevant thread in the Coronavirus forum and keep political discussions in OMNI P/R. And a reminder that repeat offenders may be subject to suspension of posting privileges. Thanks, everyone, for your cooperation and understanding. /Moderator
Last edited by JY1024; May 13, 2020 at 6:23 pm Reason: Update
#93
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Posts: 58,510
This requirement applies to FAs too, right?
I ask because today I flew ORD-LAS and the 2 FAs I observed while sitting in F did have surgical-type masks...but other than during boarding wore them down on their chins rather than over their nose and mouth.
They were also adamant about no service in F...but then brought cokes to a uniformed pilot and FA also sitting in F.
Sigh.
I ask because today I flew ORD-LAS and the 2 FAs I observed while sitting in F did have surgical-type masks...but other than during boarding wore them down on their chins rather than over their nose and mouth.
They were also adamant about no service in F...but then brought cokes to a uniformed pilot and FA also sitting in F.
Sigh.
#94
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: DCA/CLT/HKG
Programs: AA EXP (Former US CP)
Posts: 726
This requirement applies to FAs too, right?
I ask because today I flew ORD-LAS and the 2 FAs I observed while sitting in F did have surgical-type masks...but other than during boarding wore them down on their chins rather than over their nose and mouth.
They were also adamant about no service in F...but then brought cokes to a uniformed pilot and FA also sitting in F.
Sigh.
I ask because today I flew ORD-LAS and the 2 FAs I observed while sitting in F did have surgical-type masks...but other than during boarding wore them down on their chins rather than over their nose and mouth.
They were also adamant about no service in F...but then brought cokes to a uniformed pilot and FA also sitting in F.
Sigh.
#95
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Hawaii
Programs: AA EXP, HA PL, Hilton 💎, Marriott Ti, Wyndham/Caesars 💎, Hertz PC
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#97
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in PALMYRA, PA, USA
Posts: 58,510
#98
This requirement applies to FAs too, right?
I ask because today I flew ORD-LAS and the 2 FAs I observed while sitting in F did have surgical-type masks...but other than during boarding wore them down on their chins rather than over their nose and mouth.
They were also adamant about no service in F...but then brought cokes to a uniformed pilot and FA also sitting in F.
Sigh.
I ask because today I flew ORD-LAS and the 2 FAs I observed while sitting in F did have surgical-type masks...but other than during boarding wore them down on their chins rather than over their nose and mouth.
They were also adamant about no service in F...but then brought cokes to a uniformed pilot and FA also sitting in F.
Sigh.
#99
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
American, like other U.S. airlines, already requires customers to wear a face covering while on board aircraft. American already enforces this policy at the gate and will deny boarding to customers who dont comply. American now may also deny future travel for customers who refuse to wear a face covering. American made this change after working in conjunction with Airlines for America on an industrywide response.
We believe the face covering requirement is important, so customers will notice more reminders of our policy as they travel with us, both at the airport and in flight.
Some passengers are exempt from the face covering requirement, such as young children and those with a disability or medical reason for why they cannot wear a face covering. The policy also does not apply while eating or drinking.
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.
See Wikipost for links, updates.
We believe the face covering requirement is important, so customers will notice more reminders of our policy as they travel with us, both at the airport and in flight.
Some passengers are exempt from the face covering requirement, such as young children and those with a disability or medical reason for why they cannot wear a face covering. The policy also does not apply while eating or drinking.
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.
See Wikipost for links, updates.
#100
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I will be interested to see if AA actually takes action against pax who won't wear a mask (and hope that they do). UA has released some pretty detailed guidelines (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32459089-post336.html) that makes it sound like they will.
#101
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I will be interested to see if AA actually takes action against pax who won't wear a mask (and hope that they do). UA has released some pretty detailed guidelines (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32459089-post336.html) that makes it sound like they will.
Far too easy for someone who doesnt want to wear a mask to find a loophole... not worth the extra enforcement, IMO. We just have to accept that there will always be some level of risk, because youll never have 100% of passengers in masks 100% of the time.
#102
Join Date: Jul 2011
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Posts: 378
Not sure how you take action when medical excuses are allowed... and anyone whos eating or drinking can also remove their masks.
Far too easy for someone who doesnt want to wear a mask to find a loophole... not worth the extra enforcement, IMO. We just have to accept that there will always be some level of risk, because youll never have 100% of passengers in masks 100% of the time.
Far too easy for someone who doesnt want to wear a mask to find a loophole... not worth the extra enforcement, IMO. We just have to accept that there will always be some level of risk, because youll never have 100% of passengers in masks 100% of the time.
#104
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No different if a drunk person was not fit to fly. If you cannot or will not don a mask you will not board.
I have absolutely no problem with this level of enforcement if so proposed.
#105
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Los Angeles
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Posts: 3,637
In order to have an ESA on board, you have to file paperwork with AA in advance.
The paperwork includes a note from your doctor explaining you need the ESA.
You have to have the paperwork with you during the flight.
Of course you can have your neighbor (who happens to be a psychologist) to sign the forms you.
But it is not as easy as saying "hey, Lassie here with me is an ESA because I say so, so excuse me".
I am going to give ideas to AA here:
- Require all pax to answer a question at check-in "do you have a medical condition that does not allow you to wear a mask?" then if you answer yes, check-in online is not possible and have to see an agent at the airport.
Agent at airport quickly checks doctor's note about mask then off you go.
FA's can see in their tablets who checked the box of medical condition at check-in, if you didn't, then denied boarding or Dr. Chao style deboarding if you refuse to wear the mask.
Just a suggestion.