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A NUMBER of airlines in Japan, including Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways plan to make the use of masks a personal choice for passengers starting next May. This means that the use of masks is not mandatory.
The plan is in line with the government’s planned COVID-19 downgrade, which involves revising guidelines for mask use. The Japanese government will consider COVID-19 a common cold this spring if the situation does not change.
On the other hand, many flight operators in Western countries have lifted their mask requirements last year and made them optional.
Under the guidelines of the Scheduled Airlines Association of Japan, which currently has 19 airline members, passengers other than infants are required to wear masks and refrain from talking to each other as much as possible while on the plane.
If a passenger has an illness or disability that makes them unable to wear a mask, they are requested to consult with the airline in advance. If a passenger refuses to wear a mask without a justifiable reason, the airline may deny boarding.
The aviation industry group announced the policy change on Monday, February 6, 2023 following the government’s decision last month to downgrade COVID-19 to the same category as seasonal flu from May 8.
Wearing masks on planes has made headlines in the past, with a Japanese man sentenced to two years in prison in December for refusing to wear a mask on board a Peach Aviation flight in September 2020, forcing it to land off schedule. [sources/photo special]
