Japan's ANA leads way as masks become new normal in virus-era air travel

One of Japan’s major airlines plans to make the wearing of face masks compulsory as the industry shifts toward operating in a new coronavirus pandemic normal. From June, ANA will require all passengers to wear face masks inside airports and aboard aircraft. Anyone who refuses will be barred from boarding, meaning ANA is going a step further than an aviation industry body guideline that advises a “request” be made that passengers mask up. Cabin crew will wear face masks and ground staff will wear face shields as well, it said. Major airlines, including ANA, have also installed plastic curtains at check-in counters. JAL and Skymark Airlines said they will refrain from allocating passengers into adjacent seats to allow some measure of social distancing to be maintained. JAL said the measure is temporary and is aimed at easing people’s concern about coming into close contact with fellow passengers. JAL will halt sales of adjacent seats until the end of June, while ANA does not take such a measure, as such sales practice may lead to raising airfares. Japanese airlines have yet to announce whether they will implement more stringent anti-virus steps for their international routes that involve longer flight times and therefore an increased risk of infection.<br/>