BobOscar

AA delayed Flight #2248 from DFW to SFO this past Tuesday (October 20 2020), returning to the gate to throw off a passenger they said wasn't wearing a mask (she had on a white mask that a flight attendant had given her as she was leaving the plane). This was an odd woman who had been called out by a gate agent for sitting in First Class. She told him that someone was sitting in her seat in Coach so she moved up front and helped herself to an empty seat in First. He took her back to coach and that seemed to be the end of it.

But 15 or 20 minutes in the trek to get to the runway, the pilot turned around to return to the gate. The First Class FA told us that we were returning to the gate, but don't worry, it's not a mechanical so it shouldn't be long. Talking among themselves, they said we were going back because a passenger refused to wear a mask (earlier one of the flight attendants had grabbed a white mask from the galley and headed back into coach with it). The captain got on the PA and said we were going back to the gate to "accommodate a passenger"...he'd tell us more later (he didn't). The First Class skofflaw headed up to the front door, grabbing her bag out of the First Class overhead and willingly left. By the time we finally hit the sky we were an hour late from this drama, the captain making up 15 minutes in flight so we only landed 45 minutes late in San Francisco...

So take that, anyone else who refuses to wear a mask...

Often1

There are multiple reports of roughly the same on not only AA, but other US carriers as well. It seems clear that the demographic AA cares about, cares a lot about and supports its mask policy. It's also quite easy to understand as there are no exceptions.

BobOscar

It's fine to not let a person board if they are not going to wear a mask. But to delay a plane-full of passengers an hour? And what happens if someone takes their mask off in flight? Are you going to return to DFW and throw them off? Make an emergency landing on the way to SFO and throw them off?

Antarius

This sets the precedent that you will be kicked off. If you don't then it sets the precedent that masks are enforced only at boarding, feel free to take them off after the door closes.

Often1

Once in the air when it's almost certainly going to take more than 15 minutes (and thus the damage, if there is damage, is done, to get the idiot off the aircraft, there is little reason for the Captain to turn the flight around although it's the Captain's discretion.

What does seem to be clear on AA, as well as at least the other legacies is that once booted, one is banned as well. The only carrier for which I've seen transparent reporting is DL. It had banned 240 people as of about 2 weeks ago.

tkelvin69

Nah, shove them in the lav for the duration of the flight.

mvoight

Too bad the MAX lavs aren't available for that right now.

SFO_LOW_CLOUDS

Other airlines have called the police to meet the unruly passenger(s) upon deplaning at the arrival airport.

Steve M

Allowing it would also set the precedent that you don't have to follow crewmember instructions.

born sleepy

I've witnessed and reported via twitter multiple AA gate agents at DFW boarding pax not wearing any face covering, or pax with a mask desultorily slung under their chins. They expect the FAs to deal with them and just want to close the flight so their numbers look better.

hbtr

Many would consider that behavior to be endangering other passengers, and these days many passengers are choosing airlines based on how consistently they enforce these rules. So I think AA would very well consider both options you mentioned.

Think about this potential analogy: what would happen if someone lit up a cigarette during a flight and refused to put it out? What would an airline do in that situation?

mvoight

The could also ban that passenger from flying, and should, and not just for the life of the mask wearing requirement

milesandmoremiles

Well when even DFW gate agents often are found not to be wearing masks or wearing them incorrectly themselves, it’s clear they don’t give a crap.

ISTFlyer

I don't understand why it's so difficult to read the e-mails sent, listen to the announcements at the gate and read the signs at the airport.

Before boarding an AA aircraft, I both get an e-mail notification about masks 24 hours before departure, I also get reminded at OLCI; at check-in, security, etc... there are also signposted remarks; at the gate, the gate agent generally makes a general announcement about masks ( should cover the nose and mouth and masks with valves are not permitted ).

I really don't understand these people who really want to spend their money on AA flights and do not comply with the rules for an unknown reason and get kicked out.

Antarius

​​​​​​Its not that they don't know. It's this bizarre cognitive dissonance that makes people follow some rules and wear seat belts, stow their bags properly etc.