Garuda to drop face masks after passengers complain they can’t see cabin crew’s smiles

Garuda Indonesia is planning to replace the face masks worn by its flight attendants with an alternative form of PPE after passengers complained that the masks affected their perception of the cabin crew’s hospitality. Since the airline resumed domestic flights on May 7, flight attendants have worn face masks and gloves as part of the health protocols put in place to prevent COVID-19 transmission. However, Garuda president director Irfan Setiaputra said the company received many complaints from passengers saying that they could not see the faces of the cabin crew clearly when they had face masks on. “Many Garuda customers have complained about the flight attendants wearing masks as [the passengers] cannot see whether or not the [flight attendants] are smiling or frowning,” Irfan said. Irfan said that Garuda would gradually issue face shields in place of face masks following the complaints. "With this, human interaction on the plane can still occur, although minimized, and everyone can feel safe but also comfortable." Irfan said that face shields were one of the options being considered by Garuda as an alternative to masks. "Two things are important for Garuda right now, safety and comfort," he said. "But the former is prioritized over the latter."<br/>