When will you be asked to remove your mask for identification?
Dec 13, 2020, 2:45 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,598
When will you be asked to remove your mask for identification?
Beyond the obvious immigration check on arrival, when will one be asked to remove, lower their mask throughout the entire journey?
I assume that everybody at the gate has to? At any other point?
I'll be flying Ryanair out of Stansted.
I'm asking because I am deciding on my which mask I'd rather wear. I happen to have an unvalved ffp3 mask at home, and I'd feel more comfortable about the protection that it offers, but I wonder if there will be much point in wearing if I have to take it off several times, which will affect the fit.
I assume that everybody at the gate has to? At any other point?
I'll be flying Ryanair out of Stansted.
I'm asking because I am deciding on my which mask I'd rather wear. I happen to have an unvalved ffp3 mask at home, and I'd feel more comfortable about the protection that it offers, but I wonder if there will be much point in wearing if I have to take it off several times, which will affect the fit.
Dec 13, 2020, 8:25 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC GGL, HHonors Diamond, IHG Uninspired, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium, UK AMEX Plat
Posts: 2,151
Flying BA from Heathrow, it's normally 3 times - checkin, gate and immigration on arrival. Flying back, outstations may or may not want to compare the passport at checkin, exit immigration will usually want to check, gate will and arrival immigration / e-gates will, so 3-4 times there.
Not sure on Ryanair but likely similar
Not sure on Ryanair but likely similar
Dec 14, 2020, 5:29 am
#3
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,343
In COVID times I have taken 7 flights and 2 eurostars.
When going through e-gates obviously you have to take your mask off. The eurostar agent doing the UK exit checks wanted to see my face once, but not the other time. Most people proactively lower their mask when going up to an immigration officer, but I didn't, and I exited Schengen twice without showing my face.
Airline gate agents only wanted to compare me to my passport photo twice. They were only doing this for every second passenger.
One time there were policemen doing further checks at the airbridge (perhaps they were bored) and I usually get singled out for these due to racist profiling.
At one airport, security made everyone remove and then replace their mask whilst inside the scanner.
When going through e-gates obviously you have to take your mask off. The eurostar agent doing the UK exit checks wanted to see my face once, but not the other time. Most people proactively lower their mask when going up to an immigration officer, but I didn't, and I exited Schengen twice without showing my face.
Airline gate agents only wanted to compare me to my passport photo twice. They were only doing this for every second passenger.
One time there were policemen doing further checks at the airbridge (perhaps they were bored) and I usually get singled out for these due to racist profiling.
At one airport, security made everyone remove and then replace their mask whilst inside the scanner.
Dec 17, 2020, 11:30 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,598
Surprising data point: at no point was I asked to lower my mask.
Not at the gate. Not even on arrival at passport control. Anyone with an even slight resemblance could’ve travelled with my passport.
Not at the gate. Not even on arrival at passport control. Anyone with an even slight resemblance could’ve travelled with my passport.
Dec 17, 2020, 1:02 pm
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ABZ/NCL
Posts: 2,943
No doubt some nutters on here would say nobody should ever remove their masks for an ID check as some study somewhere proves thats responsible for 1 million deaths.
