With retirement coming soon for both men, the chief executive officers of American Airlines and Southwest said this week they don’t think wearing masks on airplanes is important.
They shared their thoughts on the subject during a hearing about financial support airlines received from the federal government amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, said CNN Business. A question from Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the ranking Republican on the Senate committee holding the hearing, got the ball rolling.
“I think the case is very strong that masks don't add much, if anything, in the air cabin environment. It is very safe and very high quality compared to any other indoor setting,” said Southwest CEO Gary Kelly.
“I concur. An aircraft is the safest place you can be,” said American Airlines CEO Doug Parker. “It's true of all of our aircraft — they all have the same HEPA filters and air flow.”
Parker was referring to high-grade HEPA air filters on planes that capture most airborne contamination. Cabin air is also frequently exchanged with fresh air from outside the plane, said CNN.
After the meeting, American Airlines issued a statement claiming that Parker agreed with Kelly on cabin air quality but not about mask requirements, according to the outlet.
However, Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants, said at the hearing that air quality is not a given for all aircraft, as they are not all equipped with the same air filters. She said some older planes do not have HEPA filters.
“I think that is probably for the medical community to decide rather than me,” Nelson said. She also said the masks increase confidence in air travel and therefore increase willingness to buy plane tickets.
Committee member Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, criticized the remarks from Kelly and Parker, who have both announced plans to retire in the coming months.
“I'm shocked that some of the CEOs here today have suggested we no longer need masks mandates on planes,” he said. “In the face of Omicron, children under five who still cannot be vaccinated...and that we still allow unvaccinated people on planes.”
Regardless of Kelly and Parker’s comments, a Transportation Security Administration face mask requirement for individuals onboard commercial aircraft is expected to be in place through at least March 18 to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there were more than 4,000 mask-related unruly passenger incidents in planes from the start of the year through Tuesday.
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