Alaska Airlines announced Wednesday that it will not permit passengers to travel without a mask covering their nose and mouth.
Effective Aug. 7, all guests over the age of 2 will be required to wear a mask while at the airport and onboard a flight, the airline said. If a guest refuses to wear a mask in the airport, they will not be permitted to fly. If a guest refuses to wear a mask for any reason while onboard the flight, they will be suspended from future travel while the mask policy remains in place.
The airline said there were no exceptions to its new policy.
“We all need to look out for each other during this health emergency, and the best way we can do that – and prevent the spread of the virus – is to simply wear a mask or face covering when we’re around each other,” said Max Tidwell, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of safety and security. “Safety remains priority number one for Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. Our tougher policy shows how important this issue is to us and our guests. If you don’t wear a mask, you won’t be flying with us.”
In late June, the airline empowered its flight attendants to issue a yellow card to guests who repeatedly disregarded the airline’s requirement to wear a mask inflight. The card states that it serves as final notice that if the passenger fails to adhere to the mask-wearing requirement, that all of their future travel with the airline, including connecting flights or return flights, will be canceled upon landing, and that the passenger’s tickets will be refunded.
The airline said that since the mask policy was enacted in May, the overwhelming majority of guests have respected the requirement. But, many have also raised concerns over those who do not. Alaska Airlines said it will provide masks for those who forget them.
The new mask policy is part of many policies the airline put in place to address the challenges of travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, including blocking seats to provide for physical distancing; having passengers sign-off on a health agreement at check-in; and agreeing to adhere to the mask requirement.