(News)
– There’s more evidence that Delta is serious about making sure everyone wears a face mask on their flights. The airline recently told a former Navy SEAL who claims to have killed Osama bin Laden that he is no longer welcome after taking off his mask on a flight. He’s not alone: On Thursday, CNN reported that Delta said the no-fly list has about 240 names on it. “Although rare, we continue to put passengers who refuse to follow the required face-covering rules on our no-fly list,” the CEO told her staff in a memo. The policy requires that masks be worn from check-in, through the boarding gate area, and on the aircraft – even in Delta Sky Clubs – to help limit the spread of coronavirus.
The airline’s list has grown rapidly since the rule went into effect in June. “We’ve had well over 100 people who have refused to wear their masks during the flight,” CEO Ed Bastian said earlier this month. The airline suggests that people who cannot wear a mask because of a health concern do not travel. Delta says masks with exhaust valves do not count, per Forbes; they do not prevent the carrier from expelling virus particles. The policy also applies to employees. (Delta said in July that passengers claiming an exemption must show proof.)
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