Coronavirus: Protective suits for Qatar airways crew, passengers mandated face masks

Qatar Airways cabin crew will begin wearing protective suits and passengers will have to wear face masks on board, the Middle East airline said on Monday, as it begins rebuilding its network after the coronavirus pandemic grounded flights.

Cabin crew have already been wearing face masks and gloves while on board but will now also wear suits over their uniforms, while face masks would be mandatory for passengers from May 25, the airline said in a statement.

Visit our dedicated coronavirus site here for all the latest updates.

Cabin crew and passenger interactions will be reduced, it added.

“We have introduced these additional safety measures onboard our flights to ensure the continued health and wellbeing of our passengers and cabin crew, and to limit the spread of coronavirus,” Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker said.

Those not wearing a face mask inside Qatar risk a fine of 200,000 riyals ($55,000) and a maximum prison sentence of three years.

The International Air Transport Association, the body representing global airlines, earlier this month came out in favor of passengers wearing masks onboard, as debate intensifies over how to get airlines flying while respecting social-distancing rules following the coronavirus crisis.

For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

A Qatar Airways crew member enters Sydney international airport to fly on a repatriation flight back to France on April 2, amid the coronavirus pandemic. (AFP)

On short- and medium-haul flights, one set of Qatar Airways’ cabin crew will operate the outbound flight and a second group the inbound.

The state-owned airline is laying off 20 percent of its workforce and has told employees cabin crew would be made redundant.

Read more:

Coronavirus: Qatar Airways planning substantial job cuts, company notice shows

Coronavirus: Qatar Airways will continue to operate as long as necessary says CEO

It has been one of few airlines to continue regular, scheduled flights during the global lockdowns to contain the novel coronavirus, maintaining services to around 30 destinations.

The airline said this month it would start resuming flights to destinations it had suspended due to the virus outbreak and that it aimed to fly to up to 80 destinations by June.