Brits will still be required to wear face masks on flights to Spain – despite EU junk rules in place

Spain’s face mask rules on planes and airports remain in effect, although the EU announces plans to drop its face mask mandate later this month

Britons traveling to Spain on holiday will still be required to wear a face mask on flights and airports, although the EU announces plans to end its face mask mandate for both later this month.

Current face mask rules in Spain mean everyone aged six and over must wear a face covering on public transport – including flights.

Spanish Health Minister Carolina Darias told local media this week that while the EU will lift its mandate for face masks on planes and at airports from May 16, passengers will still have to wear them on flights to Spain and the rules are unlikely to be in change in the next few days.

The country has already relaxed its face mask rules, which will no longer be mandatory indoors from April 20.

Sign up for Mirror’s travel newsletter for more holiday tips, updates and news.

She told The Local: “Europe is saying that the use of the mask on flights needs to be aligned with national regulations and in Spain we have only recently decided that it will remain mandatory in this context.

“All measures must follow a process and therefore, as before, we must proceed with caution and proportionality.”

While the EU is scrapping mandatory face masks, authorities are still encouraging passengers to wear them as a precaution.

Announcing the news earlier this week, EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky said: “From next week, face masks will no longer have to be mandatory in all cases for air travel, largely in line with changing public transport requirements from national authorities across Europe.

“For passengers and flight crew, this is a major step forward in normalizing air travel. However, passengers should behave responsibly and respect the decisions of others around them. And a passenger who is coughing and sneezing should strongly consider wearing a face mask. to reassure those sitting nearby.”

Following the news, Ryanair was one of the first airlines to announce plans to drop face mask rules on its flights to EU countries, although it said that would not include the 15 countries where face masks are still mandatory on public transport .

As well as face masks, there are other rules Britons must follow before traveling to Spain.

For example, the Balearic Islands government has introduced a new six-drink limit for British holidaymakers on all-inclusive holidays to Mallorca and Ibiza as part of a crackdown on drunken behaviour.

Under the rules, vacationers are limited to six drinks a day aside from their lunch and dinner, meaning you can only have three drinks per meal. In essence, the new rules mean Brits will not be able to enjoy drinks by the pool.

• Local Covid rules and travel restrictions are subject to rapid change due to the nature of the pandemic. Always check the latest Foreign Office travel advice for Spain before booking or traveling.

Will you continue to wear a face mask on flights where it is not mandatory? Let us know in the comments below.