Italy will not abolish face mask requirement on flights until June 15

Rome: Authorities in Italy have announced that they will keep in place the mandatory COVID-19 face mask requirement for citizens on flights to and from Italy, despite the fact that the EU will end its obligation to wear masks in airports and planes on May 16.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), together with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), agreed to lift the mask mandate on aeroplanes in an effort to further ease the travel process, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

“From next week, face masks will no longer need to be mandatory in air travel in all cases, broadly aligning with the changing requirements of national authorities across Europe for public transport,” EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky has stressed.

However, authorities in Italy have announced that FFP2 masks must be worn until June 15 on all long-distance public transport, such as buses, trams, regional trains, subways, ferries, planes as well as high-speed trains.

Besides, authorities in Italy have also announced that mandatory face mask requirements will remain effective in theatres, care homes, hospitals, indoor sporting events, schools, universities as well as concerts until June 15.

As part of efforts to further ease the travel process, the Italian government previously announced that travellers are no longer obliged to wear a face mask when accessing restaurants, bars, museums, as well as supermarkets.

However, it was clarified that the requirement to wear a face mask would remain effective in specific places.

Besides Italy, authorities in Spain also announced that they would continue to keep in place mandatory face mask requirements on flights, despite EU recommendations.

Spanish Minister of Health, Carolina Darias has confirmed through a statement that the mask mandate will remain effective.

“We have recently adopted measures, hand in hand with prudence and always with the unanimity of the experts and, in this case, the Interterritorial Health Council,” Darias pointed out in this regard.

Such an announcement means that travellers who plan to visit Spain will be required to carefully follow the requirements that are currently effective.

“We have recently adopted measures, hand in hand with prudence and always with the unanimity of the experts and, in this case, the Interterritorial Health Council,” Darias has stressed.

In addition, authorities in Spain also announced that they will extend the current COVID-19 restrictions for another month until June 15.