One of the big reasons I haven’t flown since February, which is by far the longest I’ve been off a plane in my adult life (prior to that was just a few weeks), is not because I don’t think planes are safe; most are made with HEPA air filters as I learned on this Boeing conference call. It’s because I don’t trust people to keep their masks on in-flight. I also don’t trust people not to fly when they have COVID-19 or have been around someone who has tested positive. But the latter is a whole other subject that I’ll have to tackle another time.

Sadly, the big reason some passengers aren’t wearing masks is because they think wearing one infringes on their personal liberties, which is crazy. Never before in my lifetime have our personal liberties been so curtailed. In reality, not wearing a mask infringes on all of our freedoms and because coronavirus is so out of control in the USA, that practically every country has closed their borders to the US, including Australia, Canada, Mexico, Europe, most of Asia and even some U.S. states like Hawaii.

One way these misguided passengers were getting around not wearing a mask was pretending to have a personal condition that prevented them from wearing one and due to privacy laws, airport and airline workers can’t legally ask them why. I said back in February that this would be the new emotional support animal scam.

Well, kudos to Delta because they just figured out a way to prevent this from happening anymore. According to our friends at TPG, starting on Monday, July 20, “Delta will require any passenger who refuses to wear a mask to speak virtually with a medical professional before the flight.”

The Delta spokesperson told TPG that: “Medical research tells us that wearing a mask is one of the most effective ways to reduce the COVID-19 infection rate. That’s why Delta remains committed to requiring customers and employees to wear a mask or face covering as a consistent layer of protection across all Delta touchpoints. We encourage customers who are prevented from wearing a mask due to a health condition to reconsider travel. If they decide to travel, they will be welcome to fly upon completing a virtual consultation prior to departure at the airport to ensure everyone’s safety, because nothing is more important.”

For passengers who need a mask exemption, they’ll need to arrive at the airport an hour early so they don’t risk missing their flight. “The consultation is a private phone call with the dedicated medical personnel facilitated by Delta ground staff. It will be conducted out of earshot from others. Pending the outcome of the consultation, final determination to fly is made.”

I love the fact that Delta is doubling down on its mask requirement and I hope other airlines follow suit. Just last week, the CEO of United, Scott Kirby, created a video stating United requires masks for everyone over two. He also said that “wearing a mask is one of the most important things we can all do to halt the spread of coronavirus.”

If people want to be able to move around the country again and open up the economy, then it’s time to start heeding the advice of health experts, otherwise it’s going to be a long and depressing year, possibly two.

Have you flown recently where someone refused to wear a mask? Share your experience in the comments section below.

Related:
Would Doctors Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic?
These Coronavirus Mask Exception Cards Are Fake
The DOT Has Clarified Its Guidelines Regarding Airline Support Animal Policies

 

 

16 Comments On "Delta Air Lines Doubles Down On Mask Policy"
  1. John Virgi|

    So, if masks do in fact work as you have implied, then why not open up the entire country back to normal, NO LOCK DOWNS, and require masks? This would get the economy rolling once again. Open the bars, restaurants, salons, all government activities, schools, etc. That is if and only if the masks work!! I really want to hear your answer. I am in the medical field and I assure, the masks don’t work as you and Delta claims they do. Breathing CO2 is detrimental to the body and respiratory functions. So please, answer my question above.

    1. Johnny Jet|

      If the president didn’t politicalize it and after the lockdown everyone wore a mask we would be moving around the country way more than we are now and the economy would be doing so much better.

  2. Elaina Morey|

    I flew in January from Florida to Detroit Super Bowl weekend to stay with my grandkids. On the way back to Florida on the last leg flying out of Atlanta, I was in the middle seat and the woman in the window seat was obviously ill, coughing. Sneezing, hacking, you name it. She made no effort to cover herself or shield herself from me. I was SOOOO irritated! Now, obviously she didn’t have COVID because I lived to tell about it. But the point is, she didn’t even try to protect the folks sitting around her. I bought and wore masks and used sanitizing wipes (we always do when we travel) the whole trip, so it’s a good th8ng I had my face covered!

  3. Jake|

    I agree with Johnny J.’s reply to John V. Also, it’s rather interesting that John V. would throw in the obligatory “I am in the medical field”. Ok, so what do you actually do in this very vast field? Every doctor I have spoken with, and every doctor I have seen comment on the current situation, has said that masks are very important. I realize there may be some doctors here and there who may disagree, but I haven’t seen any who have disagreed, and if they are out there, they would be in a very small minority.

    And to address John V.’s comment that “let’s require masks and withdraw lockdowns”, this of course has already been tried, in many states. How well did that work??!! We are back on semi-lockdowns. Because so many people did NOT wear masks and do physical distancing.

  4. Claire|

    I agree with John 100%. To Johnny, let’s stop blaming Trump for everything that happens in the world. And to Elaina, if you were SOOOO irritated with the woman, why not just ask her to please cover her face or ask a flight attendant to speak to her or ask for a seat reassignment? For heaven’s sake, take some personal responsibility.

  5. Penny|

    Kudos to Delta and you, too! It’s why I prefer to fly Delta, and it’s why I always listen to you.

  6. Jay White|

    Almost everyone who has showed symptoms and/or tested positive has survived, Elaina and Johnny.
    People are becoming scared of everything as it relates to health in the past 20 years.
    People are afraid of death. However, most in the western world are not taking the time to assure themselves any chance of eternal life either. Face it folks: you breathed your first and you will breathe your last, most likely within the next 100 years or so, depending upon your current age. You don’t get to pick how you will die, unless you’re committing suicide.
    You and I do get to choose how we live each day. I choose to breathe freely. I choose to travel widely. I choose to eat boldly. I choose joy each and every day. And when fear comes upon me, I remind myself that my God has it all under control.

  7. William|

    So I also work in the healthcare industry and have seen my share of COVID-19 patients. I completely disagree with the comment above. Yes breathing increased CO2 is not good, but wearing a mask is not shown to increase CO2 in your lungs. I wear an N 95 mask for 12 hours minus a small break in 10 minutes. Wearing masks decreases viral spread. It’s a good and hormonal thing is care for your fellow human

  8. William|

    Sorry should have read: honorable not hormonal

  9. Mike|

    If wearing a mask causes harmful carbon dioxide levels then I guess there are a lot of surgeons suffering. please people take medical advice from science not politicians.

  10. Jake|

    To Claire: please tell us: In which of Johnny’s sentences do you see that he has blamed our President for “everything that happens in the world”? I’m curious.

    To Jay W.: Writing “I choose to breathe freely” is tantamount to saying “I choose to be infected with the coronavirus and to infect other people with it”. Writing “I choose joy each and every day” is tantamount to saying “I choose joy each and every day, knowing that I may be infecting other people with the coronavirus”.

  11. SR|

    To Johnny—if you indeed don’t want to get the virus, you need to wear an N95 or above rated mask. That way it doesn’t matter if anyone is wearing a mask, because you are protected.

  12. Dogstargem|

    Thank you, Claire!

  13. Candy Harrington|

    Thanks you so much. Too many people are abusing the “disability exclusion”. And as someone who has worked to increase disability rights for the last 25 years I consider this “crutch” reprehensible.

  14. JS|

    What about those kids flying under 2? Kids under 5 were shown to have 10-100 times the viral load. They’re the super spreaders.

    1. Johnny Jet|

      Kids under two can’t wear them

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