The air travel process may be easier from now on, after countries across the European Union have decided to abolish the majority of travel restrictions imposed due to the Coronavirus, while several airlines have also announced that they would lift some requirements introduced to halt the virus’ further spread, such as wearing a face mask during flights.
According to the recent figures published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the epidemiological situation in European countries has started to ameliorate, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
In addition, the figures provided by the ECDC revealed that European countries such as Spain, Hungary, Romania, Poland, and Malta have been recording fewer cases of COVID-19 infection.
Such an announcement also helped the countries to start abolishing the majority of the restrictions and gradually get back to everyday life, considering the virus more like an endemic disease.
In this regard, the following European airlines have updated COVID-19 mask rules for travel:
Ryanair
The Irish carrier still obliges travellers to wear a face mask or covering in the airport, according to its official website.
In addition, some countries require to have a surgical face mask; however, according to the announcement, passengers travelling to or from Italy, Austria, or Germany are required to have an FFP2 face mask.
However, Chief executive Michael O’Leary has stressed that he expects this requirement to be abolished by late April or late May.
TUI
The British-German leisure, travel, and tourism company has lifted the face mask requirement for passengers planning to travel to and from England and Northern Ireland.
However, the airline continues to urge passengers to wear them.
EasyJet
Switzerland’s airline EasyJet requires all passengers aged six and over to keep wearing a face mask during the flight.
In addition, the airline has stressed that passengers who do not wear a mask would not be permitted to board easyJet aircraft.
“Face masks must be worn at the airport, at the gate when boarding the aircraft, and throughout the flight. Passengers not wearing a mask will not be able to board the aircraft,” the statement published by the website of easyJet reads.
Jet2
The British airline Jet2 also obliges all travellers aged six and over to wear masks on flights.
However, there are some exemptions applied. According to a Jet2 spokesman, it is no longer a legal requirement to wear a face mask in Northern Ireland and England, including at the airports or onboard “our aircraft.”
Credit: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/
