Local airlines on Monday announced that wearing face masks would no longer be required on all domestic flights after the government lifted the state of public health emergency.
The wearing of face masks for international destinations will remain subject to existing health protocols in the destination country. AirAsia destinations Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan lifted the face mask requirement as early as the first quarter of 2023.
AirAsia Philippines said despite dropping the face mask policy, it is committed to adhering to the highest standards of safety among all flights.
AirAsia Philippines country head for communications and public affairs Steve Dailisan said deep cleaning and aircraft sanitation would be in effect after every flight. This way, guests will have peace of mind and confidence as air travel returns to normalcy, he said.
“There is no room for complacency in the airline business. We want our guests to feel secure when they fly with AirAsia. Although it is no longer a policy, guests, and crew may still opt to wear face masks whenever they deem necessary,” Dailisan said.
“However, we also want to reiterate that our aircraft are equipped with high-efficiency particulate air filters which filter and block 99.97 percent of airborne particles including known bacteria and viruses,” he said.
Philippine Airlines spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said the lifting of the mask mandate and other Covid protocols would give passengers the flexibility of choice.
She said this is a significant sign of air travel’s normalization and proof that the Philippines is open for business and tourism.
“We assure that despite the removal of existing COVID-19 protocols, we will continue to observe safety procedures such as disinfection of aircraft surfaces after every flight and the use of HEPA filters and an advanced air flow system inside the aircraft cabin to help mitigate any potential health risks,” Villaluna said.
“We shall continue to comply with any COVID-related regulation imposed by specific countries,” she said.