Cripes. Over-react much? You don't want to "lower" yourself to my "ignorant" post, and say I don't "deserve the privilege of air transportation"? (And put a totally unwarranted "inappropriate" flag on my post?) Okayyyy....
I imagine that you took issue with my use of the word "inaccurate" to describe your (since-deleted and snarky) post. It SEEMED like you were implying that flight attendants (FA's) didn't have to carry the burden of "enforcing" mask rules because "passengers were required to have masks before they could even board." That SEEMED to me to be inaccurate because I've seen many recent articles about how airlines are "inconsistent" in the enforcement of their own mask rules.
Just to be clear, I'm not saying that you personally are lazy on mask enforcement, nor am I claiming that Southwest Airlines is lax. Elsewhere you wrote, "I wear a mask when appropriate and for respect of others and their feelings." Great, and all the more power to you. Great also if that attitude is followed by the FA's and the passengers on your flights. However-- My point was based on inconsistent enforcement across the
entire airline industry, not just SWADude's flights.
As for the "inconsistent enforcement of mask-wearing on flights", this is indisputable. You snarkily asked whether I have access to (Super-Duper Top Secret and Unavailable to the Public!) "exact rules and regulations and procedures" regarding masks on flights. But rules are pointless if they AREN'T BEING ENFORCED. Millions of people ride planes, and they can see with their own eyes whether or not their fellow passengers are wearing masks.
Here's just a smattering of articles from the past month:
From Fox News, on June 18, the headline: "FAA Won't Require Face Masks on Plane, Will Allow Airlines to Enforce their Own Rules"
Face masks won’t be a rule everywhere. Read Full Article
foxbangor.com
From NYT on June 4: "Airlines Say Everyone On Board Must Wear a Mask. So Why Aren't They?"
Companies are promoting new rules to reassure Americans that flying is safe. But when it comes to enforcement, they are not following through.
www.nytimes.com
From Wall Street Journal, on June 17:
How Strict Are Airlines About Face Masks in Flight?
With little direction from the feds and pressure to fill seats as safely as possible as coronavirus continues, U.S. carriers offer significantly different policies
Airlines are coming face to face with a problem that may crimp the nascent rebound in travel: who wears a mask and who doesn’t.
Some airlines are trying to strictly enforce face coverings during flights. Others have given it cursory attention. As with the question of blocking middle seats—some carriers are doing it and some aren’t—the inconsistency worries passengers concerned about virus exposure in tight confines.
With little direction from the feds and pressure to fill seats as safely as possible as coronavirus continues, U.S. carriers offer significantly different policies.
www.wsj.com
And obviously there's a ton of photos online from concerned passengers showing full planes with very inconsistent mask wearing.
Prior to just recently, FA's were sometimes put in the position where they could only "recommend" or "encourage" the use of masks, but they didn't have the authority to "require" it. (That must have been tough for many FA's who were rightfully concerned for the safety of themselves and their fellow passengers). I'm delighted to hear that airlines are FINALLY deciding to crack down and make mask wearing MANDATORY:
All major U.S. carriers will require masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, Airlines for America, an industry trade group, announced Monday.
www.latimes.com
Bottom line, I wish that mask-wearing was
truly mandatory on flights, and now it finally looks like that's going to happen. I'm glad for the flight attendants who now have the full backing of the airline industry to enforce their own rules.
