These Airlines Have Relaxed Their Face Mask Policies

You can breathe free on these airlines, but don't leave that face mask at home just yet.

Norwegian Airlines became the latest air carrier to remove mask requirements on all flights. The airline announced Monday that face masks were now optional and a personal onboard choice. And the flagship airline of Norway is not the only carrier to modify their mask policies.

“Norwegian is pleased to announce that the temporary requirement to wear face masks on board all flights will be lifted from Monday 4th of April,” the airline announced in a statement this week. “For the first time since June 17th 2020, the mandatory requirement of wearing a face mask will be lifted on every flight across the Norwegian network as a result of revised guidance across Europe. As countries reduce or completely remove travel restrictions, thanks to extensive vaccination programs, passengers will now be able to choose if they wish to wear a face mask or not.”

The carrier is just one of several loosening their mask restrictions as the world slowly reopens to travel. Travelers should still bring along an approved face covering, however, as they are still mandatory on flights to and from many destinations, as well as in many airports across the globe. It’s important to check local requirements in the countries and airports through which you will connect, and it’s recommended to keep an approved face mask with you at all times just in case.

You can learn more about which airlines have loosened their mask requirements below.

British Airways

Whether or not you are required to wear a face mask on a British Airways flight depends upon your destination. The airline is mimicking local policies, so you will be required to wear a face mask in the air and while disembarking the aircraft if that is the policy of your departure or arrival location.

You can learn more about the face mask policies of British Airways here.

easyJet

The low-cost Swiss airline easyJet announced customers and crew will no longer be required to wear masks on all domestic flights within the U.K. plus flights between the U.K. and Denmark, Gibraltar, Iceland, and Hungary. Passengers on flights to and from Scotland will still be required to wear a face mask.

You can learn more about the face mask policies of easyJet here.

Icelandair

Mask are still mandatory on flights to and from the U.S., Canada, and Germany (with the exception of Frankfurt, and flights to Paris on the flag carrier of Iceland. Face coverings are optional on flights within Iceland, to and from Greenland, and all other flights to and from Europe.

You can learn more about the face mask policies of Icelandair here.

Jet2

This low-cost leisure airline, the third-largest scheduled airline in the U.K., recommends but does not require passengers to wear a face mask on flights to or from England and Northern Ireland.

You can learn more about the face mask policies of Jet2 here.

KLM

KLM and its low-cost subsidiary Transavia Airlines made face masks optional despite the government of the Netherlands recommending the policy remain in place for air travel.

“We plan to no longer monitor this [mask requirement] from March 23,” a KLM spokesperson for the Dutch flagship carrier told The Points Guy. “Instead, we will strongly recommend that our passengers wear a face mask on board in line with EASA and ICAO guidelines.”

You can learn more about the face mask policies of KLM here.

SAS

SAS dropped mask requirements on all domestic flights and within Scandinavia, but masks are required for passengers aged six and older on all other flights.

You can learn more about the face mask policies of SAS here.

TUI

Like British Airways, face masks are not required for travel to or from England, Wales, or Northern Ireland on this U.K. carrier.

You can learn more about the face mask policies of TUI here.

Virgin Atlantic

Virgin changed its policy for many flights beginning March 16. Masks are now a “personal choice” on flights to and from Barbados, St Lucia, Antigua, Grenada, The Bahamas, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago. However, travelers 12 and older to or from the U.S. must still wear a face mask.

You can learn more about the face mask policies of Virgin Atlantic here.