Spain holiday warning as strict Covid rule remains in place for Brits
WHILE most Covid rules have been scrapped across Spain, there is still one in place that holidaymakers may not realise.
Brits catching holiday planes to and from Spain are likely to have to still wear face masks.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) announced it was dropping the recommendation for mandatory wearing of face masks at airports and on flights from May 16.
In response, Ryanair confirmed it was scrapping face masks on thousands of flights.
But only hours later, Spain's Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, said the government had no intention of eliminating the compulsory use of masks on public transport and on planes despite the EASA and ECDC decision.
At a press conference at the end of a meeting of the Interterritorial Health Council, Carolina Dias stressed that the recommendations of the ECDC and AESA on the use of masks both in airports and on flights "must be aligned with the regulations on its use in means and centres of transport".
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She said the decree approved by the Spanish Executive last April established that the use of face masks is not mandatory on in the airports themselves but it is still is on public transport and on flights.
She also pointed out that the aforementioned European organisations have still recommended that flight operators maintain their use, before insisting that Spain "very recently" decided to extend the obligation to wear the mask on public transport.
She said: "All the measures have to have a path and therefore we have to walk hand in hand with prudence and proportionality as until now and always with unanimity in the proposals of the experts who advise us and in this case with the practical unanimity of the Interterritorial Health Council."
EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky said yesterday: "From next week, face masks will no longer need to be mandatory in air travel in all cases, broadly aligning with the changing requirements of national authorities across Europe for public transport."
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"For passengers and air crews, this is a big step forward in the normalisation of air travel.
"Passengers should however behave responsibly and respect the choices of others around them.
"And a passenger who is coughing and sneezing should strongly consider wearing a face mask, for the reassurance of those seated nearby.”
Flights to or from a destination where mask-wearing is still required on public transport should continue to encourage mask wearing, according to the recommendations.
This includes countries such as France, Portugal and Italy, all who have scrapped face masks apart from on public transport which includes flights.
Passengers are also encouraged to observe distancing measures in indoor areas, including at the airport, wherever possible.
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UK airlines have already scrapped face masks onboard, depending on the destination.
Jet2 was the first to scrap face masks, followed by TUI, easyJet and British Airways, depending on the flight route.
