On flights within Scandinavia, passengers no longer have to wear mouth and nose protection from Monday. The airlines Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), Nowegian, Widerøe and Flyr no longer require travelers to protect themselves against infection on flights between Denmark, Norway and Sweden. According to the SAS, the new regulation will apply from Monday, October 18.
The four Scandinavian airlines are the first in the world to abolish this measure for all passengers. “Due to the opening of the companies and general recommendations of the authorities in Scandinavia, SAS is lifting the obligation to use face masks on flights within Scandinavia from October 18, 2021,” said a statement. And a Widerøe spokeswoman said on Norwegian radio: “The Norwegian guidelines for infection control no longer require domestic passengers to wear face masks, so this requirement does not apply on board Widerøe’s flights.”
Mask requirement is only omitted on flights within Scandinavia
However, all four airlines still have to wear a mask when flying to other countries. “SAS maintains the obligation to wear face masks on board flights to other European and intercontinental destinations until further notice,” it continues.
Airlines around the world had made it mandatory to wear a mask in the first few months of the corona pandemic. To this day, it is considered indispensable to prevent the spread of Covid-19 on board. It is therefore unlikely that other airlines will follow this rule for the time being. The Scandinavian countries have been following a particularly liberal policy in terms of Covid measures for a long time. (oco)