Airlines have certainly been diligent and have meted out a plethora of punishments to passengers who refuse to wear a face mask on flights to help mitigate the coronavirus.
In fact, as of late last month, carriers have collectively kicked off more than 2,500 passengers for violating the face mask policy.
Now, a new twist – airlines are booting passengers for too much protective equipment.
United Airlines removed a New Jersey man and his brother from a recent flight leaving Newark Liberty International Airport when they boarded a plane wearing a Narwall Mask. Unlike an N95 mask or a cloth face covering, the Narwall Mask is a full face shield that filters air in and out using a design inspired by scuba diving gear.
Problem: United doesn’t accept that kind of personal protection, saying it was not in compliance with their mask policy, and Rob Joseph and his brother were kicked off the flight before it left, according to NJ.com.
“Is it goofy? Absolutely. Is it something you want to be seen in public? Not exactly,” Joseph told the paper. He and his brother were attempting to fly to Florida on Jan. 23 to help work security leading up to the Feb. 7 Super Bowl in Tampa. “But to have that peace of mind for me and my family, I’m willing to take some stares to get down there safely.”
The brothers were asked to replace their Narwall masks with cloth coverings. They declined, and United did not allow them to fly.
Ironically, the two men were stopped several times in the airport on their way to the gate and, after explaining how the masks work and giving officials information cards, they were allowed to get to the gate. But it was there that a United agent stopped them on the jetway, where again Joseph pleaded his case.
“I’m pleading my case with the masks,” Joseph said, explaining there are no vents, instead it uses replaceable filters. “I’d really like to be able to wear my own mask for my own safety and the safety of everyone else on this plane. I pulled up (their policy) on my phone, and I went through it with her line by line.”
They declined to remove the masks and were kicked off the flight.
It’s not the first time someone has been booted off a flight for wearing too much personal protection. In October, a 75-year old woman was removed from an Alaska Airlines flight for wearing a mask, a face shield and, when she boarded the plane, a respirator helmet.
