“I think this is a very strong case that masks don’t add much, if any, to the cabin environment,” Kelly said. It is very safe and the quality is very high compared to any other indoor setup.”
“I agree. The plane is the safest place you can be,” Parker said. “That’s true for all of our planes – they all have the same HEPA filters and airflow.”
After the hearing, American Airlines attempted to back up Parker’s remarks. It released a statement asserting that his concurrence with Kelly was about cabin air quality, not the mask requirement.
Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, testified at the hearing that not all planes are equipped with the same quality of air filters. For example, some older planes don’t have HEPA filters, she says.
“I think that is probably up to the medical community to decide rather than me,” added Nelson. “What I will add is the studies that have been done [on masks]…. was done with the mannequin sitting upright with the mask on, not taking off, not eating. “
“It’s important to realize that the safe, controlled environment on an aircraft … including HEPA filters is not present on all aircraft,” she concludes.
The federal government requires masks to be worn on airplanes, according to Centers for Disease Control guidelines. The DOT did not immediately respond to a request for comment on testimony.
Kelly and Parker’s comments were criticized by a committee member, Senator Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat.
“I’m shocked that some CEOs here have suggested that we don’t need masks on planes anymore,” he said. “Facing Omicron, children under 5 still can’t be vaccinated…. and we’re still allowing unvaccinated people on board.” He said it was “immoral” to have a position where people on board could be forced to sit next to unvaccinated people who weren’t wearing masks.
Nelson, whom Markey is questioning, agrees that while she hopes that one day masks will no longer be required, she is not in favor of deregulation at this time.
“I believe the government has taken a very responsible approach to this,” she said. “We believe it will stay in place. It’s a matter of workplace safety. However, we need a consistent message. It also bothers me to hear different messages. I Hopefully we’ll stick to those messages and follow the medical experts and do what’s necessary to keep everyone safe.”
Nelson says that belief in the safety of air travel is the reason people are willing to buy airline tickets in the pre-pandemic period today. She said that wearing a mask is one of the factors leading to that trust of airline passengers.
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