Jet2 has become the first major airline to drop the rule for passengers to wear face masks during flights.
The low-cost operator changed its rules on its website on Monday, saying masks will no longer be mandatory on flights from England and Northern Ireland.
The announcement comes not long after the UK government scrapped mandatory face masks in public places.
In February, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson scrapped all coronavirus rules as part of the new “Living With Covid” scheme.
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In a statement on their website, Jet2 says: “It’s no longer a legal requirement to wear a face mask at our airports or onboard our planes. However, as per UK Government guidance, we recommend that you continue to wear a face mask in these spaces, and you will need to wear one when you get to your overseas destination.”
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Flights to and from Scotland however, will still require passengers to wear a face covering.
“It’s still a legal requirement for everyone aged six years and over to wear a face mask at our Scottish airports and onboard our planes travelling to and from those airports. This is the case even if you’re fully vaccinated,” the airline said.
In response to the announcement, another budget carrier has reportedly announced it will look into dropping compulsory mask wearing on its flights.
According to the Evening Standard, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has said he would like to see the end of masks on planes by April or May.
Another UK airline, British Airways, said it plans to keep its mask policy “to protect travellers, avoid customer confusion and ensure everybody is prepared for their journey”.
Some UK airports are also beginning to remove requirements and switch to guidance instead.
For example, Manchester Airport says that it “strongly recommends the wearing of face coverings in all parts of the airport campus, including on airport buses”.
However, Heathrow still insists “wearing a face covering will still be required whilst in our terminals unless you are exempt.”
