Last Wednesday, Europe’s aviation regulator and disease control agency moved to unwind bloc-wide face mask rules by lifting a mask mandate recommendation for air travel. The change took effect on Monday, 16th May although not every EU member state fell in line with the recommendation.
Instead, individual countries still get to choose whether to enforce their own face mask mandate for air travel and some airlines, including Ryanair, have confirmed they will enforce mask mandates where they remain in existence.
These are the European Union countries that still require passengers to wear face masks on board aeroplanes:
- Austria
- Cyprus
- Estonia
- Germany
- Greece
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- Spain
In addition, both Austria and Italy require passengers to wear an FFP2 mask or equivalent onboard flights, while the likes of France require passengers to wear a disposable surgical mask or better.
More than half of European Union countries have, however, already dropped face mask rules for air travel. These countries are:
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Poland
- Romania
- Malta
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
Ryanair’s Eddie Wilson says he expects more countries to drop air travel mask rules in the coming days based on the recommendations of the European Air Safety Agency and European Centres for Disease Control.
In cases where mask rules haven’t been lifted, Wilson says Ryanair will still require passengers to wear face masks.
So far, the following countries say they will drop air travel mask rules following EU recommendations:
- France
- Latvia
- Netherlands (from May 21)
- Malta
- Greece (from June 1)
Not all European airlines, though, are taking such a tough stance on enforcement. Finnair and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines no longer enforce actively face mask rules. As for U.S. airlines flying to Europe, masks are required on flights to the 15 listed countries above but are not required after departure from those countries.
Maybe you should do a little more research and provide background info when you post something like this? For example, the Dutch health minister did send a letter to the Dutch parliament today that he will adopt the EASA recommendation so face masks will be abolished the 16th.. So your list doesn’t say anything, or maybe only something for 5 days till the 16th.
The list will be updated as and when mask rules are changed
France just announced that in a few days, it will drop its public transportation mask mandate, including, but not limited to, air travel.
Some detail would be appreciated. What does “These are the European Union countries that still require passengers to wear face masks on board aeroplanes” actually mean? Passengers flying on a, for example, Spanish carrier anywhere in the world? Passengers flying to Spain? Passengers flying from Spain? Passengers flying within Spain? Passengers travelling in Spanish airspace? Passengers travelling on a Spanish carrier to Spain …?