IATA and face coverings

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has made an impassioned plea appealing to all travellers to wear face covering during the travel journey for the safety of all passengers and crew during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement from its Geneva headquarters it makes the position very clear. “A plane ticket is a contract under which the passenger agrees to the airline’s terms and conditions of carriage. Those conditions can include the airline’s right to refuse carriage to a person whose behaviour interferes with a flight, violates government regulations or causes other passengers to feel unsafe.  Airlines also highlight the need to wear a face covering during the booking process, at check-in, at the gate and in onboard announcements.”

Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac could not be more emphatic.  “This is a call for common sense and taking responsibility,” he said. “The vast majority of travellers understand the importance of face covering both for themselves as well as for their fellow passengers, and airlines appreciate this collective effort. But a small minority create problems. Safety is at the core of aviation, and compliance with crew safety instructions is the law.  Failure to comply can jeopardize a flight’s safety, disrupt the travel experience of other passengers and impact the work environment for crew.”
 
Whilst he did not give specific examples newspapers around the globe have reported, and continue to report, bad behaviour by a very small minority. 

www.iata.org

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