Qantas calls time on in-flight masks after moves to ease mandate at airports

The flying kangaroo has welcomed a proposed easing of the mask mandate in airports and suggested in-flight masks should be the next to go.

Airports have been quick to welcome the easing of the mask mandate in terminals from midnight on Friday. Picture: Damian Shaw/NCA NewsWIre

Qantas has welcomed moves to relax the mask mandate at airports from midnight on Friday and suggested in-flight masks should be the next to go.

Airports also hailed the recommendation by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee as “a common sense move” and called on states and territories to adopt the proposal.

The AHPPC made up of chief health officers issued the recommendation late on Tuesday, noting that mask mandates had been relaxed in “most settings within the community”.

Queensland was the first to move, announcing masks would cease to be mandatory at airport terminals from midnight on June 17.

The ACT and New South Wales followed suit but a NSW health spokeswoman urged travellers to continue to wear masks in settings where social distancing was not possible.

A spokesman for Qantas and Jetstar said the recommendation “reinforced that the next step should be to remove mask mandates on-board aircraft”.

“Global studies show the risk of transmission inside aircraft cabins is very low due to the air being refreshed every few minutes, in addition to forward facing seats and HEPA filters which capture 99 per cent of airborne particles,” he said.

“The Qantas Group intends to soon update our on-board mask policy for international flights to align with the rules at the destination. For some outbound international flights where masks are not required at the destination, such as flights to the US, UK and Europe, this means masks will no longer be mandatory on board.”

He said they could appreciate that given the different rules in different jurisdictions, some customers could find masks requirements “confusing”.

“We’re doing our best to help them prepare for their flights as well as continuing to talk to governments about the need for more consistent rules,” said the spokesman.

Virgin Australia acknowledged the changes to the airport mask mandate but noted there was no such relaxation to the requirement for masks on board.

“Compliance with this mask mandate is an individual’s responsibility,” said Virgin Australia spokesman. “It is not an airline’s role to enforce the mask mandate.”

The Australian Airports Association lobbied for months for the mask mandate to be dropped, saying it was confusing for people when masks were not needed in places like supermarkets, hotels and nightclubs.

AAA CEO James Goodwin said they were pleased it would now be left to travellers to decide for themselves whether a mask was necessary.

“Wearing a mask on-board an aircraft is still a government requirement, so we encourage all travellers to continue to pack their mask with all their other essentials, follow the rules and comply with any directions from staff,” said Mr Goodwin.

Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert said the AHPPC recommendation was “a common sense move” and great for everyone who worked at the airport.

“We’re desperately trying to rebuild the aviation workforce and the mask mandate was making it really difficult,” said Mr Culbert.

“We’re grateful to the government for listening to our concerns.”

Canberra Airport recently threatened the ACT’s chief health officer with legal action over the continued mandate, which CEO Stephen Byron said was proving a poor use of Australian Federal Police resources.

Under the mandate, people in airport terminals faced a maximum $8000 fine for failing to wear a mask.

Brisbane Airport Corporation head of public affairs Stephen Beckett welcomed the Queensland Health Minister’s quick response to the recommendation.

He said the decision was “welcome news not only for airline passengers but for the tens of thousands of employees who work in airport terminals including cleaners, hospitality, retail, security and check-in staff”.

“We’ve received feedback from those working in the terminal that the requirement to wear a mask for a full 8 to 12-hours shift can be quite challenging,” Mr Beckett said.

“This now means that café workers at the Brisbane Airport can work mask free, just like those working in an indoor food court just up the road.”

Melbourne Airport was hopeful the Victorian Government would also adopt the recommendation after lobbying for masks to be ditched since March.

“The airport is a great place to work but in a highly competitive labour market the mask mandate makes it harder for tenants to attract new employees when competing with locations where masks are not required,” said a Melbourne Airport spokesman.

Sydney Airport will stage a “jobs fair” on Thursday in an effort to fill 5000 roles across the gateway ahead of the July school holiday period.