Masking up on planes becomes serious
Published: 05 Aug. 2021, 17:17
![Quarantine inspectors sterilize a plane parked at the Incheon International Airport in March 2020. [JOONGANG PHOTO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2021/08/05/3e6e8d4a-c2ba-4ffb-ac76-09f2a0617dcc.jpg)
Quarantine inspectors sterilize a plane parked at the Incheon International Airport in March 2020. [JOONGANG PHOTO]
Domestic airlines are being allowed to get tough with passengers refusing to wear masks on planes.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Thursday that refusing to wear a mask on a plane will qualify as a violation of the aviation security law starting next week.
Passengers who refuse can be turned over to the police. They could be fined up to 30 million won ($26,000) or get sent to jail for up to three years.
The ministry made the announcement amid a rising number of Covid-19 cases in Korea and an increasing number of incidents on U.S. carriers caused by passengers who refuse to comply with a federal face mask mandate.
In Korea, all passengers are mandated to wear a mask on public transport, including planes.
But current regulations don't specifically state that refusing to wear a mask is a violation of the aviation security law.
This made it difficult for airlines to decide whether to call in the police if faced with a passenger refusing to mask up.
The change “gives grounds for airlines to take stricter actions against those refusing to wear a mask," according to Shin Jeong-ok, a spokesperson for the transport ministry. "It is also a strong reminder to people that they should keep their masks on on a plane.”
Other changes to the aviation security law specifically addressing pandemic concerns include: prohibiting airlines flying domestic routes from serving beverages on planes; requiring flight attendants staying overseas to take precautionary health actions in all countries; requiring airlines to sterilize planes once a day if they flew domestically and once after every flight it flown internationally.
Currently, airlines determine the frequency of sterilizing aircraft.
BY JIN MIN-JI [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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