Staff Reports
Spirit Airlines will start requiring all passengers and public-facing employees to wear cloth masks on board their flights.
In a Sunday news release, the Miramar-based carrier said passengers will be expected to bring their own masks and be required to wear them “both at the airport and throughout the flight,” adding “children who are not able to maintain a face covering are exempt from this requirement.”
Spirt said the “new measures will join many other enhancements to help keep Spirit’s new, fuel-efficient fleet and innovative airport experience safe and clean.”
Other safety measures employed by the low-cost carrier include HEPA filters and air filtration systems; enhanced cleaning procedures focused on high-touch areas; and leaving middle seats open when possible, among other things.
Spirit flies in and out of six Florida airports: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International, Southwest Florida International, Jacksonville International, Orlando International, Tampa International and Palm Beach International.
Spirit’s announcement followed a similar policy change announced by Allegiant Air. The company, also a low-cost carrier, announced it will start providing complimentary face masks and gloves to passengers this week.
Larger carriers, including American Airlines, Delta and Jet Blue have also announced mask requirements. The latter two, similar to Sprit, will require passengers wear mask beginning at check-in.
Current CDC guidance recommends people wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
While cloth masks are not considered effective at preventing the wearer from contracting the coronavirus, they can prevent someone who is unknowingly infected from spreading the disease to others.
