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Old Jul 23, 2020, 4:43 pm
  #31  
 
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Originally Posted by Silver Fox
If the mask gets saturated from your nose and mouth how much does it lose its effectiveness, if at all? Having practiced with a face covering it seemed to get moist pretty quick - but that might be OK. Or another way of putting it is how many masks should you take for a 10 hour flight? Or does it depend?
BA, in their pre-flight emails, say a mask should be used for up to 4 hours and recommend you bring replacements based on that timescale (departure airport, flight time, arrival airport etc.)
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 5:20 pm
  #32  
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Folks---If you'd like to debate wearing a mask, there are threads in the Coronavirus forum and over in Omni PR.

This is the AA forum; please keep posts to the topic of AA (or perhaps other airlines could be a stretch).

Thanks.


~moderator
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 6:19 pm
  #33  
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Originally Posted by Often1
WN is there too. DL has dug itself into a hole by creating a medical exception with a telemedicine interview.
I eagerly await the lawsuit when someone with a legitimate medical exception prescribed by his own doctor is overruled by DL's telemedicine doc. I'm personally in favor of mask usage but this is a bridge too far by airlines.
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 6:23 pm
  #34  
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Originally Posted by wendyg
I assume this is driven by the recent fuss about Ted Cruz being seen maskless in first class.

wg
He was drinking coffee.
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 6:29 pm
  #35  
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Originally Posted by mvoight
He was drinking coffee.
And not in first class.
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 6:34 pm
  #36  
 
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
Some mask-haters aren’t beyond willfully doing things that most decent people wouldn’t do, when it comes to mask rules and recommendations put in place in response to the risk from this coronavirus pandemic. It will be interesting to see how inconsistently AA deals with this.
They are not decent people, obviously.
Like this woman who refused to wear a mask then peed on the floor.
https://people.com/human-interest/wo...-to-wear-mask/
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 6:42 pm
  #37  
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Originally Posted by Herb687
I eagerly await the lawsuit when someone with a legitimate medical exception prescribed by his own doctor is overruled by DL's telemedicine doc. I'm personally in favor of mask usage but this is a bridge too far by airlines.
Which seems to support AA's approach of 100% mask use. If someone genuinely has an documented medical condition that means that they will not use masks, then they will not book on an airline that mandates it

It seems a sensible approach by AA given what seems to be, a fair number of people who would otherwise make up reasons since they are too self important to comply. They are the ones that impact those with genuine issues
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 6:43 pm
  #38  
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Originally Posted by Herb687
I eagerly await the lawsuit when someone with a legitimate medical exception prescribed by his own doctor is overruled by DL's telemedicine doc. I'm personally in favor of mask usage but this is a bridge too far by airlines.
This is the list of medical counter-indications where mask wearing is a threat to the wearer, but flying isn't:
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 7:05 pm
  #39  
 
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Originally Posted by Herb687
I eagerly await the lawsuit when someone with a legitimate medical exception prescribed by his own doctor is overruled by DL's telemedicine doc. I'm personally in favor of mask usage but this is a bridge too far by airlines.
I am not an expert on the ACAA, but I am very familiar with the ADA.
Generally, disability law (and there are some medical conditions that are not disabilities and not protected), require reasonable accommodations. They do not require all accommodations. An accommodation that risks the health of other customers and employees is not reasonable. As the ACAA is notoriously less friendly to disabled persons than ADA I would assume similar, if not more permissive (for the airline), wording,
I do know with the ACAA, airlines can prohibit individuals if a medical condition makes it unsafe to fly. I can think of few conditions that would prohibit mask wearing that would get an actual MD/DO signing off on an airplane flight in covid times. We'll probably see some chiro and "holistic doctors" signing some letter.
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 7:23 pm
  #40  
 
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I hope AA gets sued to hell and back.
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 7:46 pm
  #41  
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Originally Posted by msp3
I hope AA gets sued to hell and back.
For what? trying to reduce risk of infection to its passengers?
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 7:46 pm
  #42  
 
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Bravo, AA! Makes me and my family likelier to fly. Have had a couple of phone conversations with the EXP liaisons desk regarding this. We'll probably wear a face shield in addition to N95 masks which we can change every 2 or 3 hour depending on length of flight. Wore an N95 for 4 hours on my last flight in March.
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 7:47 pm
  #43  
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Originally Posted by Smiley90
This is the list of medical counter-indications where mask wearing is a threat to the wearer, but flying isn't:
Let DL know. They may want to enlist you as one of their telemedicine physicians. Nice little side gig for you.
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 8:15 pm
  #44  
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Originally Posted by Dave Noble
For what? trying to reduce risk of infection to its passengers?
But but but freedum!
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 8:17 pm
  #45  
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Originally Posted by Often1
WN is there too. DL has dug itself into a hole by creating a medical exception with a telemedicine interview.

Strikes me as a good and sensible move which will up the % of mask-wearers. Somehow, there are always a few idiots out there and there is little to be done about them in the moment (can't call store security and them tossed at FL39, much as it might be appropriate).

Look at the good side, a lot of asthmatics will find a cure quite quickly.
The problem is that at least DL acknowledged (while I feel still violating the ACAA) that they can't legally just totally ignore the ACAA. What AA/UA/WN has done is ignore the ACAA by

1)it refers airlines to public health authorities- CDC says under two AND those with breathing issues. AA/UA is trying to say they're following CDC guidance but they're not, they're conveniently leaving out the rest of the CDC guideline.

2)they're refusing transport by claiming you're a direct threat. However the airline has to prove that. Simply saying you might have CV thus we're refusing doesn't cut it. Otherwise the airline could say we feel you have TB, SARS, etc... without any evidence and simply refuse to transport. Under ACAA the burden is on the airline to show you're a threat. It also requires that if there's any doubt that the passenger must be allowed.

I get and agree with the point of the airline policies. However we're a country of laws. AA/UA/WN are simply ignoring the law because they feel it's good policy/PR. It is great policy, however great policy still has to comply with the law.

The one nice thing. Can use this to get a refund. If they refuse to honor a disability request due to being a threat, a refund must be issued. I encourage anyone with a legitimate condition to demand that airline provide the legally required letter when they deam you a threat and refuse to transport due to mask.

Originally Posted by CDC
(d) If your action under this section results in the postponement of a passenger's travel, you must permit the passenger to travel at a later time (up to 90 days from the date of the postponed travel) at the fare that would have applied to the passenger's originally scheduled trip without penalty or, at the passenger's discretion, provide a refund for any unused flights, including return flights.

(e) If you take any action under this section that restricts a passenger's travel, you must, on the passenger's request, provide a written explanation within 10 days of the request.
Link to DOT page on ACAA
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