Must wear mask while eating.....
 

Yesterday, UA1811, IAH-DEN Polarized 787 3L

During meal service, while actively eating, I had removed my mask and set it on the tray. FA comes by and politely, but firmly tells me that my mask must be worn, even while eating. She then went on to remind me that masks must be worn at all times on board, at the gate and while in the airport. I complied immediately and pulled it under my chin while taking bites.

Ok, this is probably exactly the rule but a bit of obsessive overstep and not totally practical.

Anyone else gotten this lecture?

DEN

As I have said in other threads, I am a firm believer masking between bites/sips do more harm than finishing the food/snacks/drinks in the soonest manner and then placing your mask back on. I have seen people drink and eat while having their mask(s) by their eyes - is that really hygienic? Also quite comical and cringe at the same time :)

On a recent flight to LAS (from EWR). FA made multiple announcements about masking between bites/sips; except I have observed her not having her mask over her nose almost the entire flight - "rules for thee but not for me".

I will continue to take my mask off while eating, but will put it back on after.

Six flights last month, and only one flight was like yours: FA in F repeatedly harping on passengers to replace the mask between bites/sips, even with deadheading crew members. Other five flights were "normal" crews who maintained the spirit of the policy without being police.

Putting your mask on between bites and sips is part of the new Executive Order from Biden. That's why the new mask announcement on United reads, "As specifically outlined by Federal law, you may briefly remove your mask while actively eating and drinking, but must promptly re-secure it between bites and sips."

You don't have to follow the new guidelines. You may think they're unhygienic or silly. I do. But if you don't follow them, you can be fined under Federal law. And your flight attendant can be fired for wearing her mask that way so feel free to report her.

I am complying with the mask mandate on flights except when I am actively eating and drinking. If I am going to be fined for not placing my mask on my face while I am actively eating or drinking, so be it. I am kinda clumsy, so if leave my mask on my face, I will get food and drinks on the mask, that's a guarantee.

I have flown quite a bit so far this year, and no FAs have said anything to me. I also believe I can eat/drink faster this way...everything would get consumed all at once, and there is no taking my time on drinks...leading to less exposure time.

I am not going to report any FA...just calling out the hypocrisy.

Have you seen the mask the person tried to fly with? It's based on the design of an integrated snorkeling mask (a design that has incidentally killed about 20 people worldwide for not properly venting exhaled C02). The issue is that the mask is "vented" - it exhales through a mechanical filter that acts a scrubber - there is no way to easily test for this, so of course it should have been banned.

It's actually very easy to remove the filter (which is not easily viewed) and then exhale directly into the air around you.

Odd comment... " I have seen people drink and eat while having their mask(s) by their eyes - is that really hygienic?"

For those around you or for you?

Keeping your mask on your face will clearly cut down on the time you are exhaling into the air others have to breath.

Just to be clear, there's no requirement the mask remain on the passenger's face while the passenger is eating or drinking. Rather, the mandate expressly allows removal, but requires it be replaced "between bites and sips." Depending on mask type, it may well be overall more efficient just to remove the whole thing rather than leaving it hanging off the face (this is the case with the N95 I've been using recently).

It may be easier for FAs to apply a bright line rule that the mask remain on the passenger's face, but that is not required under the mandate as published.

TSA Directive

On the whole, I think I'd rather see the rule overenforced than underenforced, but it can be frustrating to be the target of such overenforcement.

Keeping your mask on your face by your eyes (or your chin) will not cut down on anything.

You could have your mask over your mouth and nose the entire flight, but I have been traveling cross country weekly for a few months now, and I need to keep myself fed and maintain a regular routine; not eating (in particular) for 6+ hours would present a greater harm to my health in other ways, and I am willing to take the risk from being "exposed" for five minutes or so.

Also, I eat in different interval as other pax near me, so when I am eating, they have their masks on, and when they are eating, likewise.

FA making up Federal laws
 

Last night Den-Bos, FA makes multiple announcements that FEDERAL LAW MANDATES that we must re-mask between bites and sips.

He emphasizes this is federal law...remasking between bites and sips

This does not jive with anything I’ve heard on previous 8 flights i’ve had this year, nor on the connecting UA flight.

We are all vigilant on covid and i’m no anti-masker...but i’m also tired of lies

Lies???

The FA's statements accurately reflects the TSA mandate. TSA Security Directive Noncompliance is a federal offense.

Mods, suggest closure of this thread.

Well, the exact wording of the new CDC mandate (went into effect 1/29/21) is that wearing a mask shall not apply during periods such as, "while eating, drinking, or taking medication, for brief periods". It would be reasonable to assume that an airline could interpret this as in between prolonged 'bites and sips'.

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/pdf/M...01-29-21-p.pdf

It is not an interpretation. It is a direct quote of the TSA Security Directive cited above.

You were not being lied to. There is now a federal directive for wearing a mask at all times on public transport, with an allowance for brief removal with replacement 'between bites and sips'.

(https://www.tsa.gov/sites/default/fi...1544-21-02.pdf)

edit: beat to the punch! :p

I was referencing the CDC mandate. I did not see the TSA directive while searching, but it does make sense they would implement one based upon the CDC mandate. It looks like the same language, except the TSA added.. "the mask must be worn between bites and sips."

You are correct sir! :)