Mask mandate dropped for domestic flights

The mask mandate on domestic flights will soon be coming to an end, along with a slew of other COVID restrictions.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced yesterday that the national cabinet has agreed to remove the mandatory wearing of masks on domestic flights from 9 September.

The decision on whether masks will still be required on public transport will be left to each state and territory to decide.

Masks will still be mandatory on all inbound international flights however, those flying out of Australia need to meet the mask requirements of the airline they are travelling with and the country they are travelling to.

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) strongly recommends mask wearing in indoor settings, especially where physical distancing is not possible, which is usually the case in aeroplane cabins.

State and territory governments agreed to drop mask requirements for Aussie airports in June, citing that it was no longer appropriate to enforce the rule when masks were optional in most other public settings.

The US dropped all mask requirements on domestic flights and inbound international flights in April, with the UK and most EU nations following suit in May.

Featured image: iStock/xavierarnau