Better late than never, I guess.
Allegiant Air will require facial coatings
For quite some time, Allegiant Air has been the only major airline in the United States that does not require passengers to wear masks. That will finally change. Beginning July 2, 2020, Allegiant Air will require passengers to wear face masks at all times when traveling, including at the ticket counter and gate, during boarding and while on board the aircraft..
@OneMileataTime has not seen this announced anywhere, here is an email this morning from @Allegiant pic.twitter.com/qD7soUWun2
– Brady Duran (@braden_duran) June 26, 2020
Why did it take so long for Allegiant to add this rule?
Last week I wrote about how Allegiant Air was the only major airline in the US that did not require face covers during travel. This is how the airline justified the policy:
“We constantly evaluate our policies to ensure they best meet the needs of our customers. We recommend that passengers wear face masks in all our communications with them. We send reminder emails before your flights and make announcements at the door and on board each flight. However, we found that most of our passengers have already adopted the use of masks as a standard practice. We’ve also heard from clients with asthma and other health conditions that they can’t wear masks. We want to make sure that our policies also accommodate them.
As an added precaution, we provide each passenger with a free health and safety kit as they board their flights. Kits include a mask, gloves, and disinfecting wipes. Passengers tend to have their own wipes and masks, but they appreciate the extra supplies we provide. “
For one thing, I can appreciate the challenge that some other airlines have when it comes to enforcing face mask policies. I don’t like the fact that airlines have created mask policies that they can’t apply, especially since many people rely on others to wear masks to feel comfortable on airplanes.
On the other hand, at least trying to require facial masks to wear seems better than not requiring it.
Bottom line
Allegiant Air will become the last major US airline to require passengers to wear face masks beginning July 2, 2020. Welcome to the club, Allegiant!
