As a way to show continued commitment to the health and safety of travelers and employees, Southwest Airlines has once again revised its face-covering policy.
Initially implemented on July 27, Southwest added several clarifications regarding what will be accepted as a face covering based upon feedback and observations, which took effect on August 8.
To meet guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Southwest will only accept well-secured face coverings that fit snugly against the face, cover an individual’s nose and mouth and secured under the chin.
To ensure travelers understand the policies, the airline provided a few examples of face coverings that will not be accepted, such as masks with holes like exhaust valves, bandanas and face shields without a covering over the mouth and nose.
The carrier also revealed neck gaiters might be worn as face coverings so long as they cover the nose and mouth and are secured under the chin. Southwest will continue offering face masks at our airport locations for any customer that forgets to bring a face covering.
While most airlines have added elements to the coronavirus-related health protocols, Southwest has reduced the amount of cleaning it had previously mandated since the start of the outbreak.
The airline continues to block middle seats, but employees are now instructed to only clean tray tables and lavatories between flights, rather than all surfaces. Enhanced cleaning will occur each night and the deep cleaning electrostatic spray will be used once a month.
Southwest said tray tables and lavatories are the two areas most prone to carrying coronavirus.
