Spirit to require passengers to wear face covering

Spirit Airlines is the latest carrier to require passengers to wear a face covering aboard its flights.

Spirit, McCarran International Airport’s second-busiest carrier, announced Sunday that it would begin the mask requirement May 11.

The new safety measure, requiring an appropriate mask or face covering that covers the nose and mouth, was made to better align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations for cloth face coverings in public settings.

Spirit will also require all customer-facing team members to wear face coverings.

Spirit’s move follows similar announcements from Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and others on requiring passengers to wear a face covering.

Spirit will alert customers of the new requirement via its email, call centers, website, and social media channels. Guests are expected to bring their own face coverings and will be required to wear them both at the airport and throughout the flight.

Children who are not able to maintain a face covering are exempt from this requirement.

“The policy is temporary, and updates will be issued as the situation evolves,” a news release stated.

The mask requirement is the latest safety step Spirit has taken amid the coronavirus pandemic, following the use of HEPA filters and air filtration systems that capture 99.97 percent of airborne particles and filter the air for contaminants every three minutes.

Enhanced cleaning procedures implemented include the use of hospital-grade disinfectants on high-touch areas such as handles, seat belt buckles, tray tables and arm rests, and additional cleaning between flights.

Additionally, Spirit is leaving middle seats open when possible, removing seat-back menus to reduce common touch points, and changing the snack and beverage service to be by request only.

At the airport, Spirit also increased safety measures at check-in counters. It is implementing new technology-driven solutions such as its automated self-bag drop, which was unveiled in Las Vegas last year, and using its existing self bag-tagging for contactless check-in and quicker trips through the airport.

The airline is also placing distance dots in queues to encourage social distancing between travelers and is installing clear shields at counters.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.