Most major U.S. airlines are strengthening masking requirements and, in some cases, penalties as the country continues to reopen.
While there is no mandate that airlines must follow, an industry trade association announced on June 15 that airlines are stepping up enforcement of policies in place and mad add new ones.
Airlines that service Huntsville International Airport are among those updating their requirements. Be sure and check with your carrier for any changes to requirements and service before you travel.
American Airlines: Requires customers to wear face mask/covering while on board aircraft, may also deny future travel for customers who refuse to wear a face covering. American may provide face masks to passengers who don't have their own.
United Airlines: Requires all passengers to wear face mask/covering onboard its flights; any passenger that does not comply when onboard a United flight will be placed on an internal travel restriction list. Customers on this list will lose their travel privileges on United for a duration of time to be determined pending a comprehensive incident review. United will provide face masks to passengers who don't have their own.
Delta: Requires all customers to wear face mask/covering. Care kits with mask and hand sanitizing wipes are available on request at check-in and gate areas.
Frontier Airlines: Requires all customers to wear face mask/covering including at ticket counters, gate areas, and onboard planes. Temperature screenings will also be taken with touchless thermometers and no one with a temperature of 100.4 or higher, including crew members, will be allowed to travel.
Silver Airways: Silver and Seaborne passengers must wear face coverings (including masks, bandanas, scarves, or other forms of face protection) in the airports we serve and when in flight. The mask requirement includes time during check-in, boarding, in-flight, and deplaning.
Southwest (does not fly out of Huntsville, flies out of Birmingham and Nashville): Customers are required to wear a face covering in the airport, in order to board the plane, and on the plane. Masks will be provided to customers who don't have their own.
All of these airlines have exemptions for young children who cannot maintain a face covering on their own and people who have a medical condition or disability that prevents them from wearing a mask.
Passengers who have symptoms associated with COVID-19, have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, or have been ill, are asked not to travel. Most airlines have loosened their policies on ticket changes and cancellations in response to the pandemic.