Flight warning for Brits as not all EU countries will ditch face masks on planes next week
Face masks on flights to the EU are changing next week, but not all countries are relaxing rules, including some holiday hotspots like Spain, Greece and Turkey
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The EU has announced it will scrap mandatory face masks on flights and airports from next week, but that doesn’t necessarily apply to all Britons going on holiday.
Although the EU will lift restrictions from May 16, face mask rules are still in place in some popular hotspots, including Spain, Greece and Italy.
That’s because some countries still require the wearing of face masks on all public transport; and that includes airplanes.
For example, Spain’s Health Minister Carolina Darias told local media this week that despite the EU changes, passengers will still be required to wear masks on flights to Spain and that these rules are unlikely to change in the coming days.
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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.”
Meanwhile, low-cost airline Ryanair has said it will lift mandatory face mask guidelines on its EU flights. but not countries where these are still required for public transport.
This includes goals such as:
- Austria
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Estonia
- Germany
- Greece
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- Spain
The company expects some of the destinations to start relaxing their rules as a result of the changes.
France was originally on the list but has subsequently announced that it will no longer require face masks on planes and trains from May 16.
Where can I go on holiday from the UK now?
The company’s CEO, Eddie Wilson, said in a statement: “We expect these states to relax their face mask regulations in the coming days in line with these new health guidance from EASA and ECDC. Intended passengers can check the latest EU face mask rules on the Re-Open EU website.”
When traveling abroad, always check the current Foreign Office travel advice for your chosen destination before booking or traveling. This includes any entry requirements or local Covid rules you need to know.
It’s also worth speaking to your airline or tour operator who can advise you of any Covid guidelines or entry requirements that you should know before you travel.
Will you continue to wear a face mask on flights if it is not mandatory? Let us know in the comments below.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/travel/news/flight-warning-brits-not-eu-26955179 Flight warning for Brits as not all EU countries will ditch face masks on planes next week
