Masks on QF International Flights

Saw this article in SMH about QF lifting mask mandate on certain international flights where the destination doesn't require masks to be worn. Will be interesting to see how this plays out and how many people keep wearing them, and how many people stop wearing them even on flights when they are meant to be required.

Qantas to lift mask requirement on some international flights

Qantas says it will soon allow passengers to travel without masks on some international flights, even though face coverings remain compulsory on all domestic services.

www.smh.com.au

 

[diamondhands]

Updated 10/9/22



Masks required at airport:
Norfolk Island
Canada
China
Fiji - Masks required once in sterile area when departing/Until exiting arrival area for arrivals
India
Indonesia
NZ
PNG
Phillipines
Samoa
Thailand
Tonga
USA - Masks required in LA airport as per LA County order (although absolutely not enforced)
Vietnam

There would have been about 1 in 10 wearing masks at BKK yesterday

 

[bertflyer]

There would have been about 1 in 10 wearing masks at BKK yesterday

Pretty much everyone wearing masks at KUL tonight (10 Sep), will see if it’s enforced on the flight back to MEL tonight. It definitely was coming in from HAN today

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Think I saw that Aust dom and int flights now do not need masks to be worn.

 

[JohnK]

There would have been about 1 in 10 wearing masks at BKK yesterday

BKK Airport?

Last Saturday AirAsia BKK-CNX flight >95% wearing masks. I'll let you guess who wasn't wearing masks and they weren't Thai?

Past week in Chiang Mai and SanPaTong vast majority of people are still wearing masks and it's great to see them respect the pandemic.

 

[jeza]

OT in Spain it seems to be very high compliance on local rail and buses from my sample size of a couple of days but on the Madrid-Granada train very low with lots of nosebag style masking.

 

[Melburnian1]

BKK Airport?

Last Saturday AirAsia BKK-CNX flight >95% wearing masks. I'll let you guess who wasn't wearing masks and they weren't Thai?

Past week in Chiang Mai and SanPaTong vast majority of people are still wearing masks and it's great to see them respect the pandemic.

Nick Coatsworth and Peter Collignon might well disagree, given the former said in yesterday's 'Herald Sun' that the continuation of restrictions on Melbourne's public transport was hard to justify given mask wearing on most flights has ceased, not before time.

 

[mviy]

Nick Coatsworth and Peter Collignon might well disagree, given the former said in yesterday's 'Herald Sun' that the continuation of restrictions on Melbourne's public transport was hard to justify given mask wearing on most flights has ceased, not before time.

They need to remove the mask mandate on public transport as one of a range of measures to encourage people back to the office in the city. Most people don’t want to wear a mask a couple of hours a day travelling to/from work.

Removing a mask mandate would help with bringing back flying demand too as a number of people use public transport to get to/from the airport.

 

[JohnK]

Nick Coatsworth and Peter Collignon might well disagree, given the former said in yesterday's 'Herald Sun' that the continuation of restrictions on Melbourne's public transport was hard to justify given mask wearing on most flights has ceased, not before time.

They're entitled to their opinion.

I'm also entitled to my opinion and removing mandatory mask wearing on flights has come too soon.

I think the Thais have got this one right.

 

[mviy]

I personally would like to see mask requirements completely removed, except perhaps at GPs, aged care, hospitals and other similar medical facilities. If people haven't got vaccinated by now, the rest of us shouldn't be made to suffer to protect those who refuse to protect themselves.

Then at the appropriate time perhaps masks should be banned in some settings, though I think governments may not go that far, but they may need to do that to send a clear message that they are not needed. Certainly pre-COVID I considered mask wearing in Australia ridiculous at best and at worst an attempt to hide one's identity for nefarious reasons.

 

[N860CR]

I personally would like to see mask requirements completely removed, except perhaps at GPs, aged care, hospitals and other similar medical facilities. If people haven't got vaccinated by now, the rest of us shouldn't be made to suffer to protect those who refuse to protect themselves.

Then at the appropriate time perhaps masks should be banned in some settings, though I think governments may not go that far, but they may need to do that to send a clear message that they are not needed. Certainly pre-COVID I considered mask wearing in Australia ridiculous at best and at worst an attempt to hide one's identity for nefarious reasons.

The public transport thing is a little perplexing, especially in NSW which has always been the most progressive state in terms of moving on from the covid hysteria. Seems odd now that one should get off a plane, walk down to the station and technically need to put a mask on (not that anyone is).

Given they’re not serving any purpose (other than making some feel warm and fuzzy), there’s probably merit in banning them in certain settings (banks come to mind).

 

[JohnK]

Then at the appropriate time perhaps masks should be banned in some settings, though I think governments may not go that far, but they may need to do that to send a clear message that they are not needed. Certainly pre-COVID I considered mask wearing in Australia ridiculous at best and at worst an attempt to hide one's identity for nefarious reasons.

Ban masks? Which settings? That's going from one extreme to another.

If I want to continue wearing a mask that's my choice. It's actually my right.

But if governments are going be silly and ban masks then they need to also ban religious head coverings for the same reasons you state.

 

[N860CR]

Ban masks? Which settings? That's going from one extreme to another.

If I want to continue wearing a mask that's my choice. It's actually my right.

But if governments are going be silly and ban masks then they need to also ban religious head coverings for the same reasons you state.

Not really. 3 year ago nobody walked into the bank etc with a pointless piece of plastic over their face. Certainly your choice if you’re so inclined, but that’s just it - a choice. No different to a religious head covering. I’m quite sure there’s a sign in front of CommBank that says you can’t wear a bike helmet when entering the branch. That’s probably a greater benefit than a mask (on the off chance you fall and hit your head), so a ban seems reasonable.

 

[JohnK]

Not really.

Not really what? You think masks are pointless. That's your opinion.

Many people think masks are useful. I can just see it now. They'll be ridiculed by people who feel hurt by the events of the past 3 years.

I'm not sure you see it but that's wrong on so many levels it is beyond belief.

 

[OATEK]

Flights out of Germany, and trips on DB, U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses all require mask wearing. But airports do not.

 

[drron]

Not really what? You think masks are pointless. That's your opinion.

Many people think masks are useful. I can just see it now. They'll be ridiculed by people who feel hurt by the events of the past 3 years.

I'm not sure you see it but that's wrong on so many levels it is beyond belief.

Though Peter Collignon is a world renowned expert in viral respiratory disease and epidemiology.
Nick Coatsworth is a practicing respiratory physician so @JohnK I would not attempt to talk you out of wearing a mask but as to expert opinion I would trust them over ordinary Thais.

Though in these Covid forums I have been accused when quoting them of spreading misinformation. The truth is that most experts in the field now support their views.
Such is science. It is never absolutely proven and should always be questioned.

 

[N860CR]

Not really what? You think masks are pointless. That's your opinion.

Many people think masks are useful. I can just see it now. They'll be ridiculed by people who feel hurt by the events of the past 3 years.

I'm not sure you see it but that's wrong on so many levels it is beyond belief.

You’re certainly entitled to your opinion John, but evidence suggests you’re wrong. Regardless, if it makes you feel better then continue wearing masks on flights. Nobody is stopping you. You need to accept that you can’t push that onto others (and based on the total lack of masks on flights over the last few days, I’d say the majority aren’t interested anymore).

 

[jase05]

You’re certainly entitled to your opinion John, but evidence suggests you’re wrong. Regardless, if it makes you feel better then continue wearing masks on flights. Nobody is stopping you. You need to accept that you can’t push that onto others (and based on the total lack of masks on flights over the last few days, I’d say the majority aren’t interested anymore).

As a data point, one of my UK based cousins arrived in Australia last week for holidays and flew EY in J and said particularly on the LHR-AUH leg that crew were very proactive in enforcing mask usage and were constantly reminding passengers to do so.
She said it was a bit more lax on the AUH-SYD flight and she managed a few hours sleep sans mask