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17 February, 2022

Aussie flight attendants urge airlines to crack down on maskless passengers

Side view with focus on background of woman in late 50s traveling with teenage daughter and squeezing sanitizer into her hand while flying in time of COVID-19.

By Alexandra Coulton

Aussie flight attendants are urging airlines to crack down on passengers who do not comply with face mask rules.

The Flight Attendants Association of Australia (FAAA) is calling on airlines to demand proof of medical exemptions that allow passengers to go maskless and to seat unmasked passengers together, as increases in both domestic and international flights.

FAAA national secretary Teri O’Toole told the Australian that Qantas had adopted a “soft approach” to passengers who did not wear a mask while flying with the airline.

The national carrier’s policy on face mask exemptions does not require crew members to check exemption documents, but advises them to “discreetly” share the information with their colleagues “so the customer is not asked again”.

“The FAAA believes that all passengers should be doing all they can to comply with mask requirements,” O’Toole told the Australian.

“The airlines should require mask exemption documentation, and identify these passengers to the crew.”

In December, Qantas joined its rival carriers Virgin Australia and Rex Airlines to launch the “No more carry on” campaign in response to reports of “offensive and disorderly incidents” in airports as well as on flights ahead of the Christmas period.

The campaign warned passengers would be subject to a zero-tolerance policy, backed up by the threat of a “no-fly list”, for those who behave badly.

However, O’Toole said airlines need to do more to protect cabin crew and passengers against maskless flyers.

“This should not be left to the first responders (cabin crew) to attempt to manage when they already have significant workloads especially on our time challenging domestic flights.”

However, Qantas claims its mask policy is in line with government requirements.

“Anyone who has flown recently would have seen that most customers do the right thing and wear their masks and comply with the Government’s requirements,” a spokesperson for Qantas said.

“We remind customers several times throughout the flight over the PA system of the requirement to wear a mask and our crew give reminders as they are moving through the cabin.

“Those not wearing a mask onboard are required by law to carry a medical exemption and will be asked by crew whether they have an exemption. In some cases, our cabin crew have sought Australian Federal Police assistance on arrival over customers refusing to follow mask requirements.”

In January 2021 the national cabinet agreed to make wearing a face mask mandatory in airports and on domestic commercial flights.

Qantas has introduced a range of temporary and existing wellbeing measures in response to the global pandemic under its Fly Well program, including contactless check-in, enhanced cleaning, capacity restrictions in lounges, hospital-grade HEPA filters in aeroplane cabins and face mask requirements.

Travel Weekly has contacted the FAAA for more information but is yet to receive a response.

Featured image: iStock/xavierarnau

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