Why is Masking wearing still in place on planes

I flew the other day and was astounded that the mask mandate was still enforce for the flight.

During check-in, security and boarding no one was masked and as soon as you scanned your boarding pass - the agent then barks orders to put masks on like your life depends on it.

Then once we deplanned - everyone took their masks off and away we went.

Am i missing something here - it felt like rules for the sake of rules where every else is mask free and back to normal (except hospitals/aged care)

Couldn't agree more. I recently flew Syd - Perth: masked. Then Perth to London - no mask! From London to Greece and back: no mask. Then back to Aus: masked all the way. It is ridiculous. Especially considering that no one is masked mixing in airports or lounges - and even on the plane, everyone takes their masks off for a drink or food.

I can understand if you need a mask for your own safety or comfort, then feel free to continue to wear one everywhere public. But otherwise, time to move on..

I think it's the Australian government that's a problem. Masks required on all inbound flights (but not outbound). Of course some airlines may have it as "policy" and other govt's may require it too. I agree it's time to ditch all these rules, make it personal choice.

Mask wearing is still in place on planes because we are in the middle of the worst pandemic in 100 years. In Australia thousands of people are still catching the virus and hundred of people are dying each week. The disruptions to education, health services, the supply chain, and the general workforce are still significant. These are the cold hard facts whether we like it or not.

Personally, I would much prefer to be on a plane where everyone is wearing a mask because the overwhelming consensus from health professionals (as opposed to politicians) is that wearing a mask reduces the spread of the virus. I would trust a health professional over Clive Palmer any day. Wearing masks is particularly important on planes where it is not possible to social distance.

Incidentally, this is not just an Australian government quirk. I'm currently approaching the end of a five week trip in Malaysia where mask wearing is still mandated on flights and in all indoor settings. In Kuala Lumpur mask use is close to 100%. Everyone, bar the odd foreigner is wearing a mask indoors (and most people are wearing them outdoors too). And I don't mean they have a mask dangling off their chins... People are wearing well fitted masks that cover their mouth and nose. It's difficult to spot anyone not wearing a mask. In the whole time I've been here, I haven't heard anyone complaining, I haven't seen any evidence of people claiming to have medical exemptions that prevent them from wearing masks, and I haven't seen groups of people claiming that their freedoms are under attack.

Anti maskers and anti vaxers are just so stupid. No common sense or intelligence to understand how bad the global situation has been and how much worse it is now than anytime in the past couple of years (due to so many people in Oz and Europe ignoring logic).

Currently in Singapore and it's fantastic, everyone is behaving so well and protecting each other. Yes, they do have high COVID rates, but also higher population and more crowded areas, but it could be much worse if they didn't follow common sense. Singapore has just announced relaxation of COVID restrictions, but. I expect most people will still behave and be sensible as majority of Asia does.

I am still wearing masks regardless.Just ask the shop keepers at Supre and Cotton On plus any pharmacists how much in a typical week the shops go through and have been through the pandemic since it started in 2020.It's a lot,I have a mix of Surgical/N95 AND the fashion ones for travel.In fact last year when I went to Cairns I had my mask from leaving home to getting on the bus to the airport and in the airport plus the flight and pretty much all the time except for when having a shower at the hotel.

Currently in the US and have been in Europe for the last 4 weeks and can tell you the rest of the world has moved on. No masks, no mention of COVID in the media or news, it’s been refreshing. Not looking forward to returning to COVID obsessed Australia.

If people are want to wear a mask then fine, but sick to death of virtue signalling bedwetters telling others they have to.

They should make it so that when the aircraft leaves "Australian airspace" you can take your mask off and when you enter "Australian airspace" you put your mask on - to help demonstrate the ludicrous of it all.

"The National Cabinet" have made one sensible decision.

Time to move on it's 2022 not March 2020 (still stuck in the past)

In other words, just blindly follow orders like a sheep with no critical thinking? Go get another booster shot and wear your muzzle even at home. Hide under your bed and never come back out.

I just flew Bangkok-Ho Chi Minh and Ho Chi Minh City to Sydney on Vietnam Airlines in both directions. No matter what the Australian government may be saying on the matter, about half of passengers on the flight to/from Sydney weren't wearing masks (neither was I) and no one said anything. Vietnam airlines doesn't make mask announcements.

Only on the flights between Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh did a stewardess ask passengers to wear masks before take off, but that was it. Pretty absurd considering they come off 10 minutes later for the meal service and if you also go for a cup of wine and tea/coffee, you'll be sipping on that until after landing as it's a short flight.

A lot of people not wearing masks at Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh airports. Even fewer wearing them in Sydney.

Australia is like a breath of fresh air compared with Covid paranoid Asia though (even though you're right, there is an element of virtue signaling still in place). In Thailand, some news readers still wear masks on TV and this includes the hearing impaired interpreter!! It's total insanity. Fortunately, the mandate has been scrapped but the locals don't seem to be aware of that. In Singapore, indoor mask mandates were just scrapped too, but in Malaysia they remain in force.

In Vietnam, officially, masks are still required everywhere. In practice, you can go most places without one as I recently did. Mask wearing is at roughly 50-60% in Saigon (100% inside banks and such venues) but drops to 10% or less in beach resort areas.

Looking forward to traveling to Europe end of this month!!

Thank god the government has stopped pandering to views like this one.

My only question is why we have to continue wearing masks on flights for the next week when the bureaucrats have already decided they’re no longer necessary.

Surely it’s a disproportionate health response. If there is evidence to support their removal they should be removed immediately.

I have mixed feelings on this subject understanding both sides of the argument.

I can see the reason why the rules were put in place and honestly believe that we saved many lives because of these rules and fully understanding the hardship many endured during this time and to this day and that should never be forgotten or trivialised.

In the end I would be happy for all mask mandates to be removed and people can make up their own mind. I also have been travelling extensively through Asia this year and seeing relaxation of the rules has certainly made travel easier. My first trip back to Singapore with 8 Covid tests (before, during and after) for a 5 day trip and masks in all settings was quite a travel turnoff. My more recent trips to various locations have been far less stressful. I feel that there are times when masks should be worn and I will continue, including on planes. Don’t care what anyone says about Hepa filters on planes filtering 99.97% of particles, if someone breathes or coughs at you from 30cm away, it’s not going through the filter, end of story. I for one don’t want to get Covid whilst travelling in some foreign land. Was bad enough when I had it at home and mine was quite mild, so it will be masks on planes for me. Everyone else, make your choice and good luck!