Korean Air to Mandate Masks for Domestic Passengers Starting from the 18th

Must Wear Mask or Face Covering Following 'Social Distancing in Daily Life' Guidelines

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] Korean Air announced on the 15th that starting from the 18th, it will mandate mask-wearing for all domestic flight passengers to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

This measure by Korean Air follows the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters' social distancing guidelines, which recommend "wearing masks when using public transportation." The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the world's largest civil aviation organization, also recommends that passengers and crew wear masks on aircraft.

Accordingly, passengers using Korean Air's domestic flights must wear masks or appropriate face coverings throughout the entire process, including check-in, waiting at the boarding gate, boarding, and in-flight. However, exceptions will be made based on relevant guidelines for infants under 24 months, individuals who find it difficult to remove masks without assistance, and those who experience breathing difficulties when wearing masks.

Korean Air plans to review applying this mask-wearing mandate to international flights after implementing it on domestic routes.

Meanwhile, since the COVID-19 outbreak, Korean Air has continued measures to prevent in-flight infections, including disinfecting and sterilizing all aircraft cabins, providing infection prevention supplies such as hand sanitizers at airports and onboard, and supplying protective gear such as protective suits to cabin crew members.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.