Man Kicked Off Flight For Refusing to Wear Mask

(UPDATED 6/18/2020, 10:40PM ET) — American Airlines is showing it’s serious about its face covering policy amidst the Covid-19 crisis. In a video posted to his Twitter account, Brandon Straka says he was kicked off his flight on Wednesday after refusing to wear a mask. And now he’s been banned from the airline.

It happened just two days after the industry trade group Airlines for America announced that its member airlines will “vigorously” enforce their face covering policies. These rules require nearly every passenger to wear some sort of covering over their nose and mouth.

There are some exemptions from the policy, including young children and people with a medical reason to not wear a mask. Straka never claimed he had a legit medical reason. In fact, his Twitter feed tells us pretty clearly how he feels about American Airlines’ policy:

Flight Attendant: Excuse me, sir, do you have a condition that prevents you from wearing a mask?

Me: Yes.

Flight Attendant: May I ask what that is?

Me: Sanity

–Brandon Straka, via Twitter

Why Airlines Require Face Coverings

Airlines have been working hard to convince nervous travelers that flying is safe. Their business depends on it. A few airlines are now requiring passengers to accept the terms of a self-health assessment. And one airline (Frontier) is subjecting its passengers and flight crews to temperature checks, as well.

I believe that it is safe to fly, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, in part due to face covering policies. Cloth face masks aren’t perfect. If you’re infected with the novel coronavirus and just don’t know it, your face covering can help protect others and control the virus’ spread. But while better than nothing, cloth face coverings won’t necessarily protect you from the virus.

So when it comes to face coverings, the Golden Rule should apply. I wear a mask in public to help control the spread of a virus that could kill my 86-year-old mother, or yours. In turn, everyone who wears a mask helps protect me and my family from Covid-19.

Thus, face coverings are a simple act of decency, one of kindness and concern for others. They work best when everyone wears them.

Final Thoughts

When the industry first took steps to require face coverings, the major airlines instructed flight crews to be fairly lax about the rules during flight. But on Monday, that all changed. Airlines now appear willing to ban passengers who flout policy.

While Straka was kicked off one flight for refusing to wear a mask, American Airlines tells the New York Post that he finally agreed to follow the rules and was then booked onto a later flight. But after reviewing the incident further, American decided Straka will not be permitted to fly with them until the mask restrictions are lifted. Guess he’ll need to arrange alternate transportation home.

I’m grateful that American Airlines is enforcing its own rules, with potentially stiff penalties for violators. They are making more passengers feel safe and helping ensure the survival of their business.

A month ago, when I flew to Seattle, I saw firsthand how loosely mask policy was being enforced. One passenger across the aisle from me never wore a mask. Not once. Two flight attendants had a mask-free conversation while standing no more than a couple of feet apart.

I suspect we haven’t heard the last face covering controversy, in flight or on the ground.

[Photo: Brandon Straka on Twitter]