Enforcing face mask policy may be tricky for airlines

Airlines say they’re cracking down on passengers who flout rules requiring face coverings on flights, with some threatening to ban travelers who refuse to comply.

Major U.S. airlines have been requiring passengers to wear masks for weeks in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 and make travelers comfortable flying. Still, travelers have complained on social media that not everyone is following the rules.

Industry group Airlines for America said airlines would put “rigor” around policies requiring face coverings, as consumers cautiously resume air travel, which plummeted amid the pandemic.

There’s only so much airlines can do to force a passenger to keep a mask on after takeoff. Still, seven major U.S. carriers agreed to ensure passengers are warned about face covering policies before they get to the airport. The airlines also agreed to impose penalties on those who don’t comply.

Consequences could include a ban on flying, but it’s up to each airline to determine their rules, Airlines for America said.

United Airlines said it would begin placing passengers who fail to comply with instructions to wear a mask on an “internal travel restriction list” starting Thursday.

In most cases, the ban would last as long as the face covering policy remains in place, which is expected to be at least 60 days, said United spokeswoman Nicole Carriere.

“Every reputable heath institution says wearing a mask is one of the most effective things people can do to protect others from contracting COVID-19, especially in places like an aircraft where social distancing is a challenge,” United Chief Customer Officer Toby Enqvist said in a news release.

The Chicago-based airline said flight attendants will give passengers who are not covering their faces multiple warnings before filing a report. After the flight, an airline security team will investigate the incident to determine whether to block travelers from flying, United said.

American Airlines and Delta Air Lines also said travelers who refuse to comply with mask policies may face restrictions on future travel.

American declined to say how it will decide when to block customers from future flights, or how long a ban would last. The airline already won’t let passengers board if they don’t cover their faces at the gate, American said.

Passengers don’t need to cover their faces while eating or drinking, and airlines’ policies include exemptions for young children and travelers with a medical condition or disability that prevents them from wearing a mask.

United and Delta said they do not require customers prove they have such a medical condition.

Other airlines planning to crack down on mask enforcement are JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines.

Unions representing flight attendants and pilots praised the move, but said they still wanted to see the federal government make masks mandatory for all passengers.

Most passengers have complied with policies requiring face coverings since airlines began enforcing them at the boarding gate. Still, pilots worry about the risk of conflict between a maskless passenger and others nearby, said Dennis Tajer, spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association.

“There’s a big difference when you approach someone and say it’s a federal mandate,” he said.