Covid: Jet2 becomes first UK airline to relax rules on wearing face masks on flights

Jet2 has become the first major British airline to drop the requirement for passengers to wear face masks on its flights.

On its website, the low-cost carrier changed its rules on 2 March, saying masks are no longer mandatory on flights from England and Northern Ireland.

When will passengers need to wear their masks?

Passengers will not need to wear their masks when boarding, for take-off or for a vast majority of their flight, although the airline recommends that people do.

However, masks will still need to be worn before leaving the plane and inside foreign airports, if wearing a mask is a requirement there.

Why was this decision made?

The Government ditched all Covid regulations, with masks no longer legally compulsory on public transport anywhere in England.

However, airlines such as Ryanair, Tui and easyJet, have kept masks mandatory on flights.

A Jet2 spokesman confirmed: “It is no longer a legal requirement to wear a face mask in England and Northern Ireland, including at our airports or on board our aircraft.

“However, as per UK Government guidance, we recommend that customers continue to wear a face mask in these spaces, and we remind customers that they will need to wear one when they get to their overseas destination.”

Are these rules across the UK?

Jet2 passengers aged six and over will still have to wear masks on flights from Scotland and Wales.

However, easyJet, which also only operates across Europe like Jet2, Ryanair, British Airways (BA), Virgin Atlantic, Loganair and TUI all said masks are still mandatory.

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