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We were surprised to see a comment on our last Iberia Business Class Review asking if face masks are still required (they aren't). Fortunately travelers going almost anywhere in the world have a choice to wear a face mask or not. Even Japan and Japanese airlines no longer require passengers to wear face masks.
It's a bit ironic that face masks were required as long as they were on Iberia flights, with the usual commercial HEPA filters that efficiently clean the air, longer than they were required in Spanish airports, with far worse filtration. All the same, I still find a face mask handy when flying, although it's not really about COVID-19 any longer.
1. In Crowded Areas on Mass Transit and in the Airport
Given multiple COVID-19 vaccinations, I'm not that worried about covid. But I'm also not keen to get ill with something else (it's never fun to travel while ill), and the nice thing about masking is that it cuts down on catching other cold viruses and the associated time feeling under the weather. I don't bother with a mask when I'm in a wide open area of the terminal with few people, but for me, it still makes sense to wear a mask in any crowded area.
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2. In the Jetway While Waiting to Board
The jetway is one of the most crowded and least ventilated areas encountered while flying, and I've spent quite a bit of time waiting in these jetways on recent ex-Europe flights. It's a no-brainer for me to wear a mask here, just as it's a no-brainer to not wear a mask at any get-together with friends, where the social connection is more than worth the chance of getting a cold.
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3. Onboard for Greater Comfort
Flying is incredibly dehydrating, even if you don't exacerbate it by drinking wine, alcohol, or coffee. As far as I know, only JAL Business Class and JAL First Class provide moisture masks, but even a regular face mask helps by keeping the air around your nose moister. There are other things you can do, such as put vaseline by the rim of your nostrils to keep them from drying out, bringing a portable humidifier, and/or flying an aircraft with greater humidity in the cabin such as the 787-9 Dreamliner, but I find a face mask one of the ways to keep my sinuses more comfortable while flying.
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Don't get me wrong: I'm very happy to not have face masks mandated any longer for flying. But I find myself still packing a few face masks for the flying part of my trips, even though I rarely wear them at my destinations, where I'm mostly outside.
What's your modus operandi? Have you ditched face masks for all circumstances, or are there any parts of your travel where you still find yourself using them?
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