Face masks on flights to the EU are changing next week but not all countries are easing rules including some holiday hotspots like Spain, Greece and Turkey
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The EU has announced that it will scrap mandatory face masks on flights and in airports from next week, but this won’t necessarily apply to all Brits heading on holidays.
Although the EU is set to lift the restrictions from May 16, a number of popular hotspots including Spain, Greece and Italy still have face mask rules in place.
That’s because some countries still require face masks to be worn on all public transport; and that includes planes.
For example, Spain’s Health Minister Carolina Darias told local media this week that despite the EU changes, passengers will still need to wear masks on flights to Spain and that these rules were unlikely to change in the coming days.
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She told The Local : “Europe says that the use of the mask on flights must be aligned with national regulations and in Spain we only recently decided that in this context it remains mandatory.
“All the measures have to follow a process and therefore we have to advance with caution and proportionality as we have until now.”
Meanwhile, budget airline Ryanair has subsequently said it will remove mandatory face mask policies on its EU flights; but not countries where these are still required for public transport.
This includes destinations such as:
- Austria
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Estonia
- Germany
- Greece
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxemburg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- Spain
The company does anticipate that some of the destinations will begin to ease their rules due to the changes.
France was originally on the list, but has subsequently announced that from May 16 it will no longer require face masks on planes and trains.
Where can I go on holiday from the UK right now?
The company’s CEO Eddie Wilson said as part of a statement: “We expect these States to relax their face mask rules over the coming days in line with these new health guidelines from EASA and the ECDC. Intending passengers can check the latest EU face mask regulations on the Re-Open EU website.”
If you’re due to travel abroad, always check the latest Foreign Office travel advice for your chosen destination before booking or going on a trip. This will include any entry requirements or local Covid rules that you need to be aware of.
It’s also worth speaking to your airline or tour operator who will be able to advise you of any Covid policies or entry rules that you should know before you travel.
Will you continue to wear a face mask on flights if it’s not compulsory? Let us know in the comments below.
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